Outcast Legends: The Legends
by Mysterious Voice Guy
Summary: A mysterious figure from Suzuka's past returns to haunt her in tandem with mystery after mystery. But is it what she thinks it is, or is something much bigger than any of them drawing her into a trap?
1. Ghosts of the Past

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

  
  


Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

The Legends

  
  


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

  
  


Chapter 1- Legends Revealed

  
  


Timeline data: Approx. one year after the Galactic LeyLine encounter

The planet Helios-2

  
  


Suzuka walked silently towards her destination. Helios-2, once dominated by only a few clusters of highly developed cities barely four years previous, now was a mecha of technology and space ports. Disguised in a simple long dark-brown cloak to hide her identity, for not only was it nessasary to keep her presence unknown in a place this populated; but this place had seen so many weird and often shady characters that no one even really noticed, Suzuka walked quickly but not quite urgently. Sunset was at least an hour away, which meant she had a good amount of time to locate her target and prepare to do what she did best: eliminate quickly and efficiently, then collect her payoff.

From what she had gathered, 'Cracker Jack' had been hiding out in a warehouse for the past two weeks, somewhere in the west of town. Remembering her last encounter with the low-level bomber, she knew he shouldn't be a problem to defeat and then get what she needed as proof of her deed: his signature face mask. She got to the warehouse in less than fifteen minutes, then began the process of checking the area and deciding how best to do her job with minimal effort.

Suddenly, though, something didn't feel quite right. She'd learned over time to trust her hunches and, taking a quick look around, backflipped away from the building and onto a balcony a good dozen or so feet behind her.

Moments later, the building exploded like a supernova. Suzuka shielded herself from the flying flames and debris with her cloak. Suddenly, she sensed movement just behind her. Apparently the balcony she'd landed on was where whoever set the bomb off had been keeping lookout from, because no sooner had Suzuka spun around, thrown off the cloak, and readied her sword did two of Cracker Jack's hired help burst open the balcony door and leveled handguns at Suzuka. In a blur of motion, the guns were knocked clean over the side of the balcony and the thugs with them. Suzuka quickly proceeded inside, sword ready but confident of her readiness. Five more nondescript ski-mask-wearing thugs were waiting immediately inside and attacked without thought or much real aim either. Suzuka was able to dodge the haphazard barrage with ease, and like a human blur easily eliminated all five with one impossibly swift strike. For a minute, she just stood there, sword drawn as all five stood there, unmoving, then one by one they slumped to the ground with varied thuds.

"Someone's going through an awful lot of effort to hide from me." She mused to no one in particular. "OK, Cracker Jack," She challenged in a calm voice. "You might as well come out and die with honor."

A door on the opposite side of the dark room quickly opened and Cracker Jack emerged, a mischievous, psychotic smirk on his face. Suzuka turned casually in his direction and remarked his grin with only slight curiosity .

"So, we meet again, Twilight Suzuka. I had a feeling you'd be comin' after me sooner or later; after all, you've got yourself a reputation for never failing to remove a target."

"Last time I wasn't hired to kill you. You were merely a pest that needed to be dealt with." Suzuka returned.

Cracker Jack burst out with insane laughter. Suzuka presumed that the thought of death had made Cracker Jack lose his sanity, until he revealed the custom sleeveless jacket he was wearing underneath his shirt.

It only half surprised Suzuka to find out that this psycho had strapped himself up with bombs. He held a detonator in his hand, his thumb clamped down on the button.

"Have you lost what little mind you had left?" Suzuka inquired.

"You even so much as get close to me, and if my finger releases this trigger we're both dead. So you have two options, Twilight Suzuka: let me live and save your own life, or attack me and I'll forever be known as the man who killed the galaxy's most notorious bounty hunter, Twilight Suzuka!"

For a minute, Suzuka just stood there. Then, she slowly smirked.

"I believe you've underestimated me."

"Huh?"

But by the time he'd uttered that one word, his last, Suzuka was once again standing on the balcony, and in far less time than it took Cracker Jack to release the trigger, Suzuka had sent a gale force blast of wind straight at him. Cracker Jack crashed into the back wall at the exact same time as Suzuka was in mid-air of a backflip to take her safely to the ground. At practically the moment she landed, fiery explosions blossomed outward from the building, shattering the balcony and windows. Cracker Jack had inadvertently released his hold on the detonator at the moment he'd slammed into the wall, and it hadn't taken long for the explosives to do what they'd been made to do.

It had been slightly more difficult than she'd planned on. She hadn't expected to have to use any more effort than was nessasary to swing her sword around. And she also hadn't gotten the mask. She cursed under her breath as sirens resounded in the distance.

She quickly retrieved her cloak and made her exit. Hopefully the exploding building would be enough to satisfy her employer. If not, there were always other jobs people would pay her to do, other people she could be hired to kill. It was a nasty business, she admitted to herself. It was a nasty business but it was the only way of life she knew. Stopping for just one minute to check her location relative to the Outlaw Star's landing platform, she was bounding across high-up rooftops in minutes in that direction.

Suddenly, she heard something. Nanoseconds later, an intense, supersonic blast of sound shot past her left ear, sensing her hair whipping about violently.

"What the heck-!" She exclaimed, and instantly spun to see where the sound had come from. Her expression was one of complete surprise and utter disbelief,... considering that the last time she'd truly been snuck up on had been...

There was no one there!

Wait! Barely visible, but Suzuka could detect the movements of a pair of figures. A pair of ownerless shadows danced and darted at each other with combat intensity on a rooftop nearby, and almost at the moment Suzuka spotted them several more sounds, slightly resembling laser blasts, were heard. For a minute, Suzuka was purely and completely baffled. The sounds would have been outside the range of hearing for most human beings, and those shadows were almost translucent in a strange way. Were these some kind of ghosts or demons?!

Suzuka didn't know, but as the two phantoms continued their bizarre invisible dance, she drew her sword in defense and began to slowly, silently walk towards the two invisible creatures.

Instantly, both phantoms froze in mid-step.

Suzuka stopped too, waiting silently in preparation for any movement by either shadow.

Suddenly, one of the two dashed at her with inspiring speed, and almost before she knew what was happening the creature shadow was on the roof top in front of her, running straight at her. Suzuka, having never fought invisible foes before, quickly thought her options over in her mind and immediately decided on a long range special technique. The razor blade of blue energy grew from being the length of her sword to three times that as it neared her target. The shadow didn't move and the attack passed straight through where Suzuka had estimated it to be, just as if all the phantom was was thin air, which was exactly what it appeared to be, exploding against a nearby collection of communications equipment on another rooftop. Before Suzuka could brace for a counteroffensive, she felt an invisible arm clamp violently around her neck in a stranglehold. She gasped for air and thrashed violently, but nothing worked. Suzuka's eyes went wide as the thought occurred to her that this could be how she died, strangled to death by an opponent she couldn't even see or attack.

Several nervous, drawn out minutes passed during which the second invisible creature seemed to just stand there, several feet away, starring at her perhaps. Meanwhile, it's companion still had it's arm locked around Suzuka's throat, Suzuka only barely able to force in air as the grip suddenly tightened.

Then, without explanation, the phantom holding her on the edge of death let go. Taking one huge breath before spinning to track her assailant, she saw the shadow of the bodiless nightmare seeming to run at top speeds across the rooftop, vanishing when it reached the edge. Suzuka took a minute to catch her breath, then turned towards the other phantom.

Only it wasn't a phantom anymore. To Suzuka's astonishment, a person had materialized where the second invisible ghost shadow had been moments before.

"Are you alright?" The late-teenage girl inquired, walking over to her. She had short-cut dark purple hair that strangely seemed to be a natural color for her, light purple eyes, and pale but tan skin. She wore what appeared to be some kind of reflexive body armor, a dark green, over a black jumpsuit of some kind. She had a pair of hand weapons holstered at her sides the likes of which Suzuka didn't recognize, and had a bluish rectangular visor over her eyes. She also had some kind of device attached to her wrist, a little bigger than a watch, and her belt looked to be full of advanced technology. Suzuka nodded slowly, her breathing returning to normal. The girl then looked briefly at where the other shadow had vanished. "Dang it, I lost him again." She muttered to herself. "This isn't over Cerpa. You can count on that."

"What just happened??" Suzuka exclaimed. "How come my special techniques didn't work? And just who are you and what's going on here?"

"HQ," The mysterious warrior was now talking into the device on her wrist. "This is Bluestone and I've got a code 12-A down here, and Cerpa got away. Requesting instruction."

"Blue," A masculine voice from the comm unit stated. "Proceed with 12-A procedures and then go after Cerpa. Do you need reinforcements?"

"Dawn Sword, I can handle this assignment on my own. Over and out." She huffed.

The look on Suzuka's face was one of true and utter disbelief.

Had she heard right?!

Was Dawn Sword alive?!?

"OK, just hold still." Bluestone instructed, reaching for one of her guns.

Suzuka wasn't interested in holding still.

"Hey, what the-!" Bluestone exclaimed as Suzuka suddenly swiped the girl's legs out from under her. Suzuka was on her feet in nanoseconds and had her sword aimed at Bluestone before the mysterious girl's head could hit the rooftop.

"Dawn Sword is alive?!" Suzuka demanded. "How?! You'd better tell me everything about what's going on if you value your life, little girl."

"What do you think you're doing?!" Bluestone exclaimed, but Suzuka prodded her in the stomach with her sword to show she wasn't kidding around.

"I asked you for answers, now talk!" She demanded.

In a blur of motion, Bluestone quickly pushed a button on her cyber-tech belt. To Suzuka's surprise, Bluestone quickly became nothing more than a shadow. An invisible foot suddenly kicked Suzuka's sword out of her hands, but before the now-invisible Bluestone could follow up on the strike Suzuka had backflipped over to where her sword hand landed, picked it up, and leapt down in between buildings. Bluestone attempted to follow, but by the time she got down into the alley, Suzuka was gone. The girl known as Bluestone sighed in unbelief, then reactivated her communicator and, with a voice no longer audible to the rest of the world, transmitted the news of what had happened to her mysterious HQ and even more mysterious leader.

"HQ, this is Bluestone. Make that a code 12-B. Requesting assistance. Over."

  
  


"Jean!" Suzuka exclaimed as she raced towards the Outlaw Star. Jean, who minutes earlier had been looking over something written on a computer pad, looked up as Suzuka, out of breath, raced over with a panicked expression on her features.

"Suzuka? Are you OK?"

"Jean, we've got a problem." She exclaimed, still trying to catch her breath.

"What? Something went wrong against Cracker Jack?" Jean half-sighed, then muttered under his breath. "Now how are we supposed to pay for these repairs?"

"This has *nothing* to do with Cracker Jack!" She exclaimed, slight desperation in her voice. She paused for a minute to collect her thoughts. "You're not going to believe a word I say, but listen to me anyway Jean. There were two of them; they were like phantoms or something. All I could see was their shadows, they didn't *have* bodies; my special techniques passed right through them; and Dawn Sword-!"

"Whoa! Suzuka, slow down!" Jean exclaimed. "Are you telling me you're seeing ghosts?"

"This isn't funny; I barely made it out of there *alive*!" She stated, half desperate, half angry. "Not ghosts; the one I saw had this device on her belt, it transformed her; I don't understand it, she was invisible, nothing could touch her, but the other one had me in a stranglehold and-"

Suddenly, Suzuka stopped in mid sentence. She was afraid of this; she sensed movement behind her. Not heard, but just felt. When she spun around, it was what she and Jean saw that confirmed Suzuka's worst fears. Ownerless shadows, three of them.

"What the-!" Jean exclaimed, but Suzuka cut him off.

"Get down!" She shouted, pushing Jean to the ground. Nanoseconds later, a trio of strange metallic darts imbedded themselves on a repair tower right behind where she and Jean had been standing. Jean and Suzuka quickly dodged another set of materializing darts, jumping behind a bulkhead for protection. Jean reached for his blaster but Suzuka stopped him.

"Don't waste your ammo; nothing hurts them." She instructed, frantically searching the area around her for more shadows.

"Well what am I supposed to do?!" Jean exclaimed.

"How should I know?!!" Suzuka returned, then muttered under her breath. "They must have followed me here somehow."

"Jean," Gilliam's voice came in over Jean's comm gear. "What's happening down there? Audio sensors picked up-"

"Let's just say we're fighting ghosts, Gilliam!" Jean exclaimed, dodging a near-miss dart.

"Oh my."

"Gilliam, engage all security measures. I want you air-tight in five seconds."

"Affirmative, Jean."

"What do they want with you, Suzuka?!" Jean asked as the two bolted at top speeds for a nearby door into the ship.

"How should I know?!" She returned as the hatch closed and bolted a half second after they entered. She quickly spun around and looked at the door. "Don't assume that will stop them."

"Gilliam," Jean instructed. "Warm up the reactors. If we have to, I wanna be able to blow this place in less than five minutes."

"I'll do what I can Jean, but I can't go anywhere without Melfina."

"Dang, that's right!" Jean exclaimed. "They haven't gotten back yet; what are we gonna do?"

"Stop asking rhetorical questions." Suzuka muttered.

Suddenly, an all-too familiar form materialized right behind Suzuka. Fortunately, Suzuka was quick enough to send the gun out of Bluestone's hand with a spin kick. Jean spun around in surprise as Suzuka leveled her sword at the mysterious phantom agent.

"Don't even try to touch that button or you're dead." Suzuka instructed. "You should've stayed invisible."

"Oh really?" Bluestone asked. Jean tapped Suzuka on the shoulder, and Suzuka instantly realized the reason Bluestone had materialized had been a setup. Two ownerless shadows stood just behind her and Jean, likely with their guns locked on Suzuka and Jean.

"Why are you doing this?!" Jean exclaimed, trying to talk to the two shadows.

"Don't waste your breath; you can't hear what they say when they're invisible." Bluestone stated. She then looked at Suzuka. "Nothing personal; this is all for your own good."

Suzuka was speechless for a second, then in a move of desperation-

"I know Dawn Sword." She stated suddenly. Bluestone looked at her disbelievingly, but Suzuka's expression was dead-serious and truthful. "We fought one on one four years ago. I didn't think he was still alive, but if he is I need to talk to him immediately."

Bluestone looked at her skeptically.

"It's a matter of utmost importance." Suzuka added.

Bluestone wasn't entirely convinced.

"Alright," Bluestone questioned. "If you actually know Dawn Sword, . . . tell me what he looks like."

Suzuka quickly realized that she didn't remember much about what Dawn Sword looked like. But one thing she did remember was-

"His sword;" She interjected. "The handle was designed to look like an angel; the hilt was made of bright blue metal; it was double-edged. I don't remember much of what he looks like, but I do remember his sword."

Bluestone was strangely silent for a long moment.

After breathless moments, she nodded to the two invisible warriors behind Jean and Suzuka.

"OK, I believe you. But exactly what is so important?"

"It's ... personal." Suzuka replied. "That's why I said I need to see him right away."

Bluestone considered that for a long moment.

"Alright, listen." Bluestone instructed. "By when will you people be completely ready for takeoff?"

"Approximately two days." Gilliam interjected.

"Gilliam..." Jean muttered angrily under his breath.

"We'll be waiting for you in orbit." Bluestone instructed. "We'll escort you to Dawn Sword, but if this is some kind of a trick-"

"Believe me, it's not." Suzuka stated.

Bluestone nodded again to her two invisible companions, then pressed the button on her belt and disappeared. Suzuka watched as the girl's shadow walked over, retrieved her gun, which became invisible at her touch, and then Bluestone and her two companions' shadows vanished through a nearby wall like ghosts. Jean quickly turned to Suzuka.

"What was that all about?"

  
  


When Aisha, Melfina, and Jim got back, Jean and Suzuka told them about what had occurred. It was hard to convince even Melfina, but in the end all three accepted what had happened based upon Gilliam's affirmation of Jean and Suzuka's story. Suzuka also scoured the area around the ship in search of one of those darts Bluestone and company had been shooting, but found nothing. Even Gilliam was unable to find any trace of the darts themselves, although micro-sized holes were found in the moorings that the darts had impacted. Even Aisha was on edge about all these impeccably strange happenings, but no one seemed more nervous or jumpy than Suzuka. Even in her dreams, which over the two nights before takeoff became nightmares, she couldn't escape...

Her dreams were plagued with flashbacks of how it had all begun...

  
  


"You shall know me as Dawn Sword."

  
  


"He prefers to battle only at dawn's first light, thus how he got his nickname. If you really want to meet him, it will have to be at dawn."

  
  


The battle was fast and furious, Suzuka's sword weaving it's way evasively past Dawn Sword's weapon whenever possible, and Dawn Sword strangely preferring to attack with his fists and feet and let his sword do the blocking. Suzuka leapt over his head into the air, sending a bolt of nearly invisible energy into the ground below her. Dawn Sword was able to leap out of the way just as the ground below where he'd been standing exploded upwards in a rush of dust and rock. In a blur of motion he was on the offensive again, throwing barely-dodged punches and kicks at Suzuka, forcing her to block and parry sometimes even with the use of her sword. Suddenly, he somehow managed to catch the weapon in one hand and, eyes glowing with strange white power, sent a surge of electricity through it and into Suzuka. Suzuka reacted swiftly, cutting her injuries by activating a light shield that instantly sent the electricity surging through her sword straight back to sender, throwing Dawn Sword to the ground. Taking a deep breath to catch her second wind, Suzuka unleashed another secret technique, sending a whirlwind of energy headed towards the fallen Dawn Sword. But before the attack could hit and before Suzuka barely knew what was happening, he was attacking again, leaping forward at her with a jump kick.

Dodging the kick and then using his momentum to throw him, resulting only in Dawn Sword landing effortlessly on his feet about a few meters away, Suzuka quickly decided she was getting tired of being on the defensive. Rushing forward at her opponent and then at the last second front flipping over his head, she unleashed in mid-air a third, nearly desperate secret technique: a long, thin line of energy aimed not at Dawn Sword but the ground several feet ahead of him. The razor-thin line of energy sliced cleanly through the cliff side, and for a long moment after she landed there was total silence. Dawn Sword stood there, seconds from when the ground below him would inevitably fall out, . . . and almost seemed to be smiling. A warrior's smile, Suzuka could tell, for it was not the wide-mouthed grin of laughter or scorn, just a simple slight look of approval like a warrior uses when he or she has won a battle or secured a victory. It puzzled Suzuka,. . . it was almost as if Dawn Sword was telling her that she had somehow... proven herself.

Then the side of Dead Man's Sheer fell out as one giant piece, gravity reasserting it's control as a dominant force in the universe. He stood still even as the shattered edge dropped downwards towards the long drop below, his gaze never ceasing to be straightforward even as he dropped out of sight below the cliff's new horizon. Suzuka quickly rushed to the edge and was just in time to hear the amputated ledge shatter as it's foremost side crashed downwards against the underside of the still-solid cliff. Minutes later, sounds like explosions shattered the early dawn silence, the sun now barely over the horizon and flooding Helios-2 with it's light.

After waiting for some kind of retaliatory strike, for him to somehow reappear upon the cliff as if by magic, Suzuka turned and went down the hill's path, back towards the city it overlooked.

  
  


She remembered it all now with such incredible accuracy, the images seeming only to get more and more clear in her mind's eye. Every detail came back to her now with such sharpness... including how she had first learned of Dawn Sword's existence...

  
  


"Here's the proof you asked for." Suzuka stated, handing the pack of cards over to her employer. The elderly man opened the deck, pulled out one of the aces that composed the whole deck, and put it in his pocket.

"Those are his alright. The micro-explosive bionic fibers are just visible in the corner. Here's your payment, Suzuka."

She put the money in her pocket and began to walk away, when suddenly the old man called back to her.

"Uh,... Ms. Suzuka?"

"Yes?" She asked, hopeful of another job.

" . . . Um, I think there's something on your back."

"What?" She exclaimed, then reached behind her. After a few seconds of searching, she pulled off a small note written on plain white paper that had been attached to her back by a piece of simplistic, almost laughable transparent adhesive tape. "What in the world..." She thought aloud as she looked it over. On it was written only this:

'You shall know me as Dawn Sword'.

  
  


She'd been immediately astonished and baffled. Anyone who could pull a practical joke on her, especially one that required getting so close and yet not being detected, had to have impeccable skill and ability. Either that, or he had to be a ghost. Suzuka had long wondered exactly how Dawn Sword had pulled off that prank. Well, now it seemed she was beginning to understand.

  
  


And after two days of pure dread, Jean, Suzuka, Aisha, Melfina, and Gilliam took to the stars once again, this time to be accompanied into the hands of one of the most mysterious figures Suzuka had ever encountered.


	2. Dawn Sword

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

  
  


Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Encounter

  
  


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

  
  


Chapter 2- Dawn Sword

  
  


"Tell me you've got some kind of plan, Suzuka." Jean said as the Outlaw Star's engines roared loud in the background, the ship now in process of leaving the planet. "After all, I got the feeling you and this Dawn Sword guy weren't exactly on good terms."

Suzuka motioned to Jean that it might not be safe to talk.

"If you want to talk about that, Jean," Suzuka stated. "It wouldn't hurt to be aware that this ship is likely bugged."

"I don't detect anything." Gilliam stated.

"You didn't detect those phantom warriors either, did you?" Suzuka countered.

"Good point." Jim stated.

"Got any suggestions then, Suzuka?" Jean inquired.

"In fact, I can think of one place on the ship which couldn't possibly have been bugged." Suzuka stated. She then looked over at Melfina. "Is there by chance room for three in that dunk tank?"

"... I guess so." Melfina stated unsurely.

"Then it looks like we're going for a swim, Jean." Suzuka stated.

  
  


"Whoa... it's been a while since I've been in here." Jean thought out loud.

"This is very strange..." Suzuka thought, looking around. "It's like there's blue crystals everywhere."

"That's because this is a mind link, not the actual access tube." Melfina stated. "Here we can talk completely unheard."

"So tell me about this Dawn Sword guy." Jean asked.

"It all goes back to four years ago, before I met up with you and the others." Suzuka stated. "I heard about a warrior named Dawn Sword and fought him one-on-one. I thought for sure I killed him, but it appears I was wrong."

"You mean you weren't sure?"

"Let me put it like this: I dropped a cliff on him. I didn't exactly have time to go looking through the rubble before the authorities would have arrived."

"Oh." Jean and Melfina said at once.

"But then how could he POSSIBLY be alive?" Jean inquired. "I know I wouldn't have survived that."

"You think I know the answer to that? I thought he was dead too."

"In my opinion, these's a lot of factors that just aren't adding up." Melfina stated.

"So that brings me back to my original question, Suzuka. What's the plan?" Jean inquired once more.

Suzuka was silent for a long moment.

"Listen; I have a score to settle with Dawn Sword. If he's still alive, I'll need to destroy him in order to retain my honor as never failing to kill my foes."

"You didn't kill me." Jean stated.

"Consider yourself spared." Suzuka returned, in a 'do you really want to bring that up again?' tone. "But considering how outmatched we are by their level of technology, we'll need an ace of a plan if we're going to get out in one piece."

"Here's an idea. Why don't we bring along a few Gilliam bots loaded with explosives. When things turn ugly, they scatter and start destroying the place. We make our getaway in the midst of the confusion, and then send a couple dozen missiles down their throats to make sure nobody else makes it out." Jean proposed.

"Simple, but effective. It won't be easy to guarantee our safety, even once we make our escape. But at least we can put some distance between them and us before we have to deal with any more dangerous situations." Suzuka stated.

"Once we're in sub-ether we should be safe." Melfina stated, then her face registered with information. "We're receiving a communication ... but I'm not picking up any ships within broadcasting range."

"Must be them." Suzuka surmised.

"I'll open the hatch to the bridge, then." Melfina stated, the strange crystal-blue world fading out of Jean and Suzuka's vision.

  
  


"OK, your story checked out with Dawn Sword." Bluestone stated. Her image was now pasted on a holographic comm-vid on the Outlaw Star's main viewport. "Firstly I'd like to apologize for treating a friend of his with such disrespect, and secondly I'd like to apologize for the listening devices I planted aboard your ship. Your scanners should be able to detect them now; feel free to remove them."

"Oh my," Gilliam suddenly pipped up. "Yes, scanners are picking up multiple small transmitting devices throughout the ship."

"Jim, think you could clean those bugs outta here?" Jean inquired. Jim nodded and took off into the hallway adjacent the bridge. Bluestone continued.

"OK, with the apologies out of the way, let me lay down the laws for this little trip." She stated. "In case you haven't become aware of it yet, our ships are invisible and likewise untouchable by any run-of-the-mill weaponry you might have. I'll be transmitting you a set of coordinates along with this communication. Follow those coordinates and keep your communications systems on jamming until we arrive. Don't change course; if you're attacked, we'll cover for you, just stay on course."

"Attacked? Who by?" Jean questioned.

"We all have enemies, Jean Starwind, as I'm sure Suzuka can attest to of our first encounter. For now, do what I'm asking, and everything should be fine."

"Is it OK if we use our sub-ether drive?"

"I don't see a reason not to. We'll follow you in sub-ether. Over and out."

The comm-vid flashed and vanished. Jean turned in his seat to look at Suzuka.

"Your impressions, Suzuka?" He inquired.

"She seems genuine but still slightly distrusting. I can't blame her really. Also, I think you should know that, if the 'enemies' she mentioned are what I suspect, they likely have the same technology as Bluestone's ships and warriors. We're probably best off following her instructions."

"If you ask me," Aisha chimed in. "This whole thing wreaks of a setup."

"But if they wanted to kill us, they could without a second's notice." Suzuka stated, arms folded. "No, she's truthful about what she's said, although it's obvious that her standpoint is one of regrettably taking orders from higher up."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough, won't we?" Jean stated, hands racing over his console. "Alright; Gilliam, key in those coordinates, and prepare for sub-ether drive."

  
  


"I don't like it." Bluestone thought out loud. "Not one bit."

"But we don't have much of an option, do we?" One of the nearby warriors, clad in what appeared to be standard issue dark green reflexive armor over a black jumpsuit, stated. "If Dawn Sword says-"

"She couldn't even describe him." Bluestone exclaimed in a huff. "And I have absolutely no idea where, how, or even if, Dawn Sword met 'Twilight' Suzuka the class A assassin."

"Agent Bluestone," One of the other officers said, rather surprised. "Why would you think Dawn Sword wouldn't level with us?"

"... I dunno." Bluestone sighed. "Was it just me, or did he seem a little evasive about the issue?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this: he didn't explain any of the how or why, he just verified that he knew her and gave her an escort to HQ. I don't know about you guys, but this whole thing seems kind of fishy."

"He must have a good reason." A third officer, piloting the ship from the front of the rather large command bridge, stated. "I mean, we all know Dawn Sword is the most trustworthy, honorable person we've ever met. That's why general Calhoun approved him for leadership of operations, and of particularly the Outcast Legends, before he died. I don't see any reason we should start questioning him now, after everything he's done to protect ZX-7."

"Still..." Bluestone stated, letting her thought trail off. She then sat down in front of a small console and requested "Computer, bring up the datafile on Dragon agent Cerpa again. I want to be more prepared for the next time we encounter each other."

  
  


"Gilliam, are we near any planets?" Jim inquired after they'd been traveling for about three hours in sub-ether.

"Not really. In fact, the area our travel coordinates are taking us to is directly in the middle of a large nebula." Gilliam replied.

"What kind of nebula?" Jim asked.

"Class G-2, according to my star charts."

Jim keyed in a search command to the console in front of him, then whistled in surprise and leaned back in his chair.

"Now this is interesting."

"What?" Jean inquired.

"Well, class G nebulas are known for their semi-delicate chemical balance. To give ya some brief info, while the gas combinations are generally nonflammable, combined with certain elements the entire nebula can be set ablaze like as if it were made of kerosine. Class G-2 are particularly stable, but if the gases come in contact with disodium chloride anything within the nebula will have less than twenty seconds to get out before temperatures reach that of a supernova on the moment of explosion."

"Disodium chloride? What's that?" Jean inquired. "And more importantly, can we whip some up for our escape plan?"

"Disodium chloride would be common table salt, Jean." Gilliam reported. Aisha couldn't help but snicker, along with Melfina, as Jean's cheeks turned a hue of red. Gilliam continued. "And I believe we have four large bags of salt in the cargo hold."

"Hmm,..." Suzuka thought to herself. "Gilliam, what if we were to release the salt sacks from the airlock. What would be the immediate damage to the ship?"

"So long as gases from the nebula can be kept out of the airlock, the ablative armor should be sufficient to protect the ship." Gilliam stated. "Although I highly recommend against it, considering that the armor will be seriously damaged." Gilliam paused for a second. "However, if instead of opening the sacks completely before releasing them we were to just create a small rip in the sacks, the explosion, while still intense, would be much smaller and spread more slowly, and determined on the size of the opening the entire nebula may not be effected. We could avoid damages almost completely if we moved away from the sacks fast enough."

"Well, I think we have out distraction, Suzuka." Aisha stated.

"Yeah. Now to figure out how best to use it." Jean stated.

  
  


"OK, Outlaw Star, listen carefully." Bluestone instructed. "We're nearing the base now. Like our ships, you won't be able to see it, so we're going to have some of our grappler pods guide your ship over to a docking pylon. To assure the secrecy of our base's location, I want you to shut down *all* of your sensor equipment right now. Once your inside the barrier, you'll be able to see the base. Any questions?"

"What's so important that you're going through all this trouble to hide your base?" Jim inquired.

"That's classified, little guy. Any other questions?"

"How soon will we arrive?" Jean asked. "And what are grappler pods?"

"Half an hour roughly, and grappler pods are exactly what they sound like: small humanoid pods equipt with grappler arms and built for all types of space and sub-ether uses, including combat, so no sudden moves, Starwind." Bluestone warned. "Anything else?" There was a moment of silence. "Ok, then. Bluestone out."

Not even more than a few seconds later, the ship rocked slightly with the sound of grappler arms latching onto the outer hull. Jean quickly cut the engines and sensors as he'd been instructed, and not moments more felt the ship veer in a different direction.

"Well, this should be interesting." Jean muttered. "We're blindfolded and being led around by a bunch of space ghosts. Never thought I'd hear myself say something that strange and actually make sense."

"Don't worry, Jean." Suzuka stated calmly. "When we get to their base, then you can start to worry."

"No kiddin'." Jean muttered.

  
  


Half an hour later...

  
  


Jean, Suzuka, Jim, Aisha, and Melfina looked out the viewport with nothing short of utter astonishment. Seconds before, the massive space station that they saw before them had been literally invisible. From a distance, it appeared to be like a large black pinecone, but as the now-visible grappler pods brought the Outlaw Star closer more of the finite details of the station became clearly visible. The exterior of the station appeared to be constructed out of millions of black crystals, but signs of familiar technology peeked out at regular intervals and at what appeared to be 'docking crystals' positioned at regular intervals near the central equator of the base. Large ships, designed not all that different than Ktarl-Ktarl war ships and heavy cruisers with dark-blue and dark-green paint jobs, were stationed at different docking crystals. Jean guessed that the ship Bluestone had communicated to them from was similar to the ones in dock. Grappler pods, similar in many aspects to the ground assault units owned by the Kay pirates, were docked along the outside of the base at regular intervals, held in place by small alcoves that probably allowed direct access to them by anyone inside the base. Two such pods had hold of the top and bottom of the Outlaw Star and were steering in towards one of the docking crystals.

"Whoa...!" Jim and Aisha exclaimed at the same time.

"Incredible..." Suzuka added.

"Looks like the whole thing is built out of those crystals." Jean stated. "I don't see any weapons turrets on the outside of the station, but I wouldn't put anything past somebody who's got an army like this."

"Having second thoughts about the emergency escape plan, Jean?" Gilliam inquired.

"Do you even need to ask?" Jean muttered, then stated. "I'm guessing there's at least two-hundred ships out there, and that's ignoring the grappler pods. Something tells me that our 'salt bomb' is becoming more of a bargaining tool than an actual escape measure."

"Communication from the ship behind us, Jean." Gilliam announced. "It appears to be Bluestone's ship."

"On screen." Jean instructed, and seconds later the vid-comm box flashed into existence once again.

"Welcome to HQ, Outlaw Star. The grappler pods can take care of docking your ship, so just sit back and enjoy what's left of the ride." Bluestone instructed before the vid-comm hologram blinked out of existence again.

Ten minutes later, with the Outlaw Star docked, Jean and the others made last minute preparations before stepping out of the ship and into Dawn Sword's base. Suzuka made sure to hide her sword so that it wouldn't be seen, and Jean locked and loaded a set of his favorite guns, also bringing along the big gun, just in case.

The airlock door opened, flooding the small airlock chamber with light.

There before them stood a long off-grey hallway, as well as Bluestone and two soldiers dressed similarly to her.

"Enjoy the ride?" Bluestone inquired. "Alright, listen. I've got instructions from Dawn Sword to allow you to bring your weapons so long as you're under guard, but I still need to check you all for any explosives. Understood?"

"We've got nothing to hide." Suzuka stated.

Bluestone held up what looked like a hand scanner and slowly waved it over each of the five. 

"I need to inspect your guns, Starwind."

Jean handed over his three weapons and excess ammunition for inspection. Bluestone eyed the big gun suspiciously but returned all the equipment to Jean nonetheless. Then she scanned Melfina briefly.

"Is she a bio-android?"

"Her name's Melfina, and yes, she is." Suzuka stated.

"Fine; just wanted to check. Bio-androids are one thing, but cyborgs are almost always a security problem. Alright, follow me." She stated, turning and walking down the hallway.

Suzuka appeared calm and at ease. But she was in fact hiding her true emotional state. She was tense; ready to fight. Her every warrior instinct was in overdrive.

This time she intended to finish Dawn Sword for sure.

  
  


The whole station seemed to have been preparing for their arrival, which didn't exactly settle well with Jean or Suzuka. The corridors seemed to twist and converge for miles without end, and as the group walked towards their destination, they passed many different facilities: medical bays, lots and lots of personal and crew quartering, one or two weapons bunkers, shuttle bays, science labs, construction facilities, as well as a few recreational and sub-command zones. Jean made a lot of mental notes to himself about different key facilities as they walked, and also noted that every 20 feet there were 'hidden' laser nodes. They blended in perfectly with the walls, but Jean and Suzuka could tell on first glance the subtle irregularities that gave away the weapons' positions.

'Man,' Jean thought to himself. 'I've seen high-level military prisons with less security and resources. Where on earth did these people get the materials to build this base?! And as if getting out of a place like this in one piece isn't hard enough, they've got the advantage with those 'phantom belts' they're all wearing. I doubt if our salt bomb strategy will even phase these people!'

Suzuka was having similar thoughts as her eyes calmly scanned every area as the group passed by. 'I bet Kay pirate headquarters can't even measure up to half this place. No wonder they weren't concerned about us carrying our weapons around; any attempt on our part to escape now is literally futile. My only chance is to get Dawn Sword to promise our free passage out of here before I fight him.'

After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at a large security doorway guarded by six warriors. Bluestone gave a nod, and the soldiers stepped out of the way, allowing them access. Bluestone turned around and addressed Suzuka directly.

"This is central command for the whole base complex. Dawn Sword's waiting for you inside, but let me just make one thing straight first. One wrong move, and I'll toast you myself, Twilight Suzuka. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Suzuka replied. "Just take me to Dawn Sword."

"Fine. Follow me."

The armored doors to the central command room slid open in total silence, revealing the large, blue-lit chamber beyond. The room size was massive, rings of control consoles surrounding the central point of the spherical dome. On the high ceiling, glowing crystals that sparkled brighter than diamonds seemed to form an organic information relay system as sparkles of nearly-invisible energy bounced between them. On the multi-layered command floor, several figures not in uniform, many of them appearing to be nonhumans, operated controls and talked to others in the room. Bluestone led the group down the ramp ways towards the center of the room.

"Since you don't even remember what Dawn Sword looks like," Bluestone stated with no lack of disrespect and distrust in her voice. "I'll reintroduce the two of you."

"Believe me, I'll know him when I see him." Suzuka replied.

"Then, Twilight Suzuka," Bluestone stated as they reached the center area of the dome. A figure walked up to meet them. "Allow me to introduce our leader, Dawn Sword."

Suzuka could tell from the moment the figure approached that something wasn't quite right. But it was when he got close enough to distinguish his features that Suzuka realized exactly. His short black hair and deep black eyes were his more striking features, and he wore a blue chest plate and arm and leg bracers over a black jumpsuit. Over his back he had a sword strapped into position, and he wore the same 'phantom belt' as Bluestone and almost everyone else in the base. He looked to be in his early twenties, and while Suzuka could tell just by looking at his eyes that he was an experienced warrior, she knew one thing for sure.

This wasn't Dawn Sword.

"What is this?" She demanded of Bluestone. "Just what are you trying to pull?"

"Excuse me??"

"I'm no idiot; that's not Dawn Sword. Is he some kind of decoy? Where's the real Dawn Sword??"

"Watch it, Suzuka; this *is* the *real* Dawn Sword." Bluestone stated with a 'watch it; you're outta line' look.

"Suzuka..." Jean warned in a low voice, noticing that almost everyone in the command room was now looking at them.

"This isn't the warrior who called himself Dawn Sword and fought me on Dead Man's Sheer on Helios-2. I may not remember his exact features, but I can say this." Suzuka stated firmly. "The Dawn Sword I encountered was at least thirty, had long hair not short, and-"

"Excuse me." 'Dawn sword' interjected. "Suzuka, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I'm not interested in talking to decoys. Where's Dawn Sword??" Suzuka demanded.

Suddenly, one of the people at the consoles spoke up, voice urgent.

"Dawn Sword! Sensors are picking up Quantum-Spectral echoes at two o'clock high; probably Dragon attack ships!"

"Alright, everyone, assume battle stations! Outcast Legends, to your grappler pods, STAT!" Dawn Sword instructed, taking leadership over the circumstances. "Sound Red Alert base-wide. Prepare all battle ships for immediate launch!" He turned to Suzuka, speaking quickly and in a lower voice. "There's a lot you need to know, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait for later. Stay here; you should be safe."

"Hold it!" Suzuka shouted as he and half the people in the command room dashed for the exit. Dawn Sword, or whoever he was, didn't even look back, so Suzuka quickly got in front of him with a spinning forward flip high into the air. "You're not going anywhere until I get some answers, 'Dawn Sword'."

"We don't have time for this, sir." One of the warriors following behind Dawn Sword interjected, pulling out a blaster. Dawn Sword quickly motioned for him to put it away and faced Suzuka.

"Please listen to me, Suzuka. The lives of the people on this station are in danger right now and it's my job to get out there and fight. I give you my word that I have the answers to your questions and that I *will* tell you those answers, but right now lives are on the line. Please let us through, Suzuka."

Suzuka considered it a moment. She could tell by the look in his eyes he was sincere. She stepped aside.

"Thank you, Suzuka." Dawn Sword said in genuine appreciation and thanks, then nodded to the warriors behind him and the group took off down the corridors.

"Somebody mind telling us what's going on here?" Jean inquired to no one in particular.


	3. Combat

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

  
  


Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Combat

  
  


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

  
  


Chapter 3- Enemies and Allies

  
  


The warrior known as Dawn Sword raced down the hallways of the North Star defense base, running with all of his might towards the airlock for his grappler pod. His short black hair, intelligent black eyes, and dark-tan colored skin, as well as well-toned muscles and sheathed double-edged sword assured anyone on first glance that he was a skilled warrior. But his true strength lay below the surface.

Entering the cockpit of his grappler pod and engaging launch procedures, he prayed silently that the enemy force he was about to face was not massive or overly dangerous. People's lives were on the line every nanosecond, and therefore he had to make every moment count. Keying in the launch code, he felt the pod's thrusters burst to life as the pod moved from it's mooring and out into open space.

At the moment, open space wasn't so open. As Nova cruisers and Dragon Leviathan cruisers met in fierce combat, grappler pods and auto mechs swarmed from almost every ship to fill the gaps with explosive battle, sending laser blasts and debris flying left and right. He forced himself to clear his mind and waited for the pod's neural link to engage. It wasn't long before he felt everything around him begin to fade and be replaced as the grappler pod's neuro-interceptors channeled his conscious mind into piloting the pod.

Within moments after the neural link completed, Dawn Sword was headed into the middle of one of the more intense combat zones. His pod grabbed a device from a panel just above the grappler legs and activated it, the device flashing with glowing white energy making up the 'blade' of the intense weapon.

"This is Dawn Sword to all Outcast Legends. Get ready and get fighting; this looks like a considerable enemy force. Over."

"Roger that, Dawn Sword." Nightshade stated, her voice lacking no enthusiasm for the coming battle. "Let's teach these Dragons not to mess with the Outcast Legends."

"I second that, Nightshade." Reaper added. His deep African American rapper-style voice also held that same spark for battle that Nightshade had.

"This is Backtrack; and all systems are go."

"Firestorm here, and I'm ready when all of you are."

"I'm golden when you guys are. What are we floating around here for?" Vapor asked.

"OK, then." Dawn Sword said, bringing his nova saber to a battle position. "Let's do this, people! Outcast Legends style!"

It wasn't long before each of the members of the Outcast Legends team were headed straight into combat, blasting at auto mechs with the laser cannons in the palms of each grappler pods' hands. Lasers, grappler pods, and auto mechs flooded the cosmic battle field as the two armies met in mass combat.

"Watch each other's backs." Dawn Sword instructed as he sliced apart a pair of nearby auto mechs. "There's a lot of them out here, even more than last time, so watch out. Firestorm, NightShade, I want you two to go after the cruiser nearest the base. Backtrack, Reaper, join on me. The rest of you, split up and take it to em'!"

  
  


It hadn't taken Suzuka long to get access to a Grappler Pod. The limp forms of a group of pilots lay on the ground nearby, knocked unconscious by Suzuka. Melfina stood behind her, just outside the entry hatch of the ship, along with Jean, Jim, and Aisha. Suzuka looked over the controls quickly, then turned to Melfina.

"It appears to need an access code in order to launch, but I can't find where the controls are."

"Suzuka, can I ask what's probably a dumb question?" Jean inquired.

"What?"

"Why exactly do you want to steal these Grappler Pods?"

"Because if that Dawn Sword wannabe dies, all those answers he promised me die with him." She turned to Melfina. "Melfina, what can you tell me about the way this pod works?"

Melfina nodded, walked into the pod as Suzuka stood to one side, then gently placed her hand on the controls and closed her eyes.

"... The access code is 1GZ796I2SD8." She said after what felt like five minutes. "Also, I think the Grappler Pod operates using a direct neural link."

"Are you saying that anybody who's in there gets their mind linked into the pod?" Jim inquired.

"Yes."

"Hm. This should be interesting." Suzuka turned to Jean. "If you're coming, get a pod and meet me out there."

Melfina exited the pod as Suzuka input the code. The airlocked doors behind her slid shut with a hissing sound. Not minutes later she felt the moorings that held the pod to the outside of the station release, and the gentle hum of exterior thrusters accompanied the pod slowly moving away from the base. Releasing her sword and letting it float next to her in what had become a zero-g environment, Suzuka closed her eyes and waited for something to happen. It wasn't long before she was aware that her mind had taken control of the pod.

She could see everything around her, both forwards and backwards, the entire starscape. This was probably due to the pod's scanners. Information registered in her mind, unique new synaptic abilities that belonged to the pod linking directly into her mind. She realized she couldn't feel herself breathing, then the thought occurred to her that the Grappler Pod's secondary computers probably had taken over her basic body functions, keeping her body alive while her mind controlled the pod.

Turning towards the battle, Suzuka activated the pod's ion thrusters and weapons system.

She had one purpose in mind: protect 'Dawn Sword'.

  
  


Dawn Sword slashed left and right with his nova saber, shredding auto mechs at nearly each turn. His wingmen, Backtrack and Reaper, continued blasting away at the swarms of enemy ships and mechs with the laser cannons in their hands. So far, so good. The Nova cruisers deployed by the base were effectively blockading the enemy fleet, forming a formidable tactical wall between the Dragons and North Star.

Suddenly, one of the Dragon ships opened a communication line to Dawn Sword's pod. He recognized the face immediately.

"It seems we meet again, Dawn Sword." DragonMage stated. A figure in high-tech dark silver and crimson armor designed to look like a dragon, DragonMage had been the sworn enemy of the Outcast Legends ever since Dawn Sword could remember. The chestplate of his armor looked like a dragon's head with fiery fierce red eyes, the shoulder plates like wide dragon wings wrapped around his shoulders. His leg bracers, the tips barely within the vid-comm window, were like giant scaly talons, and around his waist wrapped a belt like a snake's tail. Attached to the back parts of the shoulder guards was a long black cape that reached to his feet, and he had sheathed at his side a short broadsword with two small single bladed detachable 'dragon fang' swords attached to the hand guard so that they almost looked like one piece with the main sword. He stood at roughly 6 feet tall with long black hair and deep-set green eyes that had an invisible 'shadow' of evil cunning to them.

"What do you want, DragonMage?" Dawn Sword challenged.

"Take a wild guess." DragonMage scoffed in bitter defiance. "ZX7. Surrender it or the attack begins in earnest, and I know how much you value the lives on that station." The second part of the sentence was a mock.

"I don't make deals with terrorists, DragonMage, so why don't you just slither back to the cave you crawled out from." Dawn Sword returned, then switched off the vid-comm window and activated an audio link to the other Outcast Legends. "OK, people, we've got a probable code 3. DragonMage is leading the attack himself. Don't drop your guard for a second."

"Mind telling me why you're so concerned?"

Dawn Sword almost did a doubletake. It was Suzuka's voice that had spoken over the comm system.

"Suzuka?!"

"I hope you don't mind that my friends and I took temporary ownership of a few of your Grappler Pods." Suzuka stated.

"What do you think you're doing?!!"

"It's simple, really. If you die, those answers you promised me die with you. Not exactly a sophisticated concept."

"Whoa..." Jean exclaimed. "This is really cool!"

"This is just like some kinda cyber game!" Jim added.

"This rules!" Aisha added as four pods thrustered into position alongside Suzuka's, blasting at nearby auto mechs and battle cruisers like natural-born Grappler Pod pilots, especially Melfina, Aisha, and Suzuka, who seemed to have incredibly high reaction time.

"...Uh... sir?" Reaper inquired, not really having to ask his question.

Dawn Sword took a deep breath, then spoke.

"Ok, then, Suzuka. We'll do this your way. You, your friends, Reaper, Backtrack and I are gonna try to hit the ship in the middle of the fleet. Chances are that might be the ship DragonMage is on. There's only seven Leviathan cruisers left, along with two or three support cruisers. Follow my lead, we're going in."

"Works for me." Suzuka stated, nova saber ready in her right grappler.

  
  


Meanwhile, far away from the raging battle, the warrior known as DragonMage watched in total silence as the monolithic video screen in front of him displayed various scenes of the dreadful battle. The command center around him was in total stillness and silence, he and only one other person standing within the room. Both watched in silence and calm interest as the attack fleet they'd sent out quickly began to lose ground and the battle turned in favor of North Star and it's Outcast Legend defenders.

"Are you certain, Cerpa?" DragonMage inquired, not turning towards the figure just barely behind him.

"Positive." Cerpa replied, his voice both strong and deep but sounding strangely synthetic. "I never forget a face, much less her face."

"So..." DragonMage seemed to consider this for a long moment. "Tell me about this Suzuka. I've heard rumors, but nothing more."

"Her powers extend far beyond what even she herself knows. She does not know, however, their origin or why she was given them. All she knows is the death of her parents and the need to be the strongest." He then scoffed. "Last I heard, she still believed her powers were of the same occult magick as the Kai Pirates. Worry not, lord DragonMage, she has no idea of her true past, I assure you."

"Yes, but now she is in the company of the Outcast Legends. Just how much do they know?"

"... In truth, I don't know. However..." He paused for emphasis. "Dawn Sword may know everything."

"Then we must proceed with caution?"

"By no means. Suzuka is playing right into your hands. Soon both ZX7 and the galactic leyline will belong to you." He paused. "Assuming I also get what I want in exchange for the services I have rendered you till now."

"Worry not, Cerpa. You'll have your reward, as promised, and your revenge, as promised."

"You honor me with your kindness, lord DragonMage."

On the screen, one of the few remaining Leviathan cruisers exploded, having taken direct attacks from swarms of Grappler Pods.

"Perhaps now I should withdraw the attack. After all, we have the information we came for." DragonMage stated. When Cerpa didn't respond, he turned to look. Cerpa had vanished from the command room without a sound.

  
  


"Central cruiser down!" Dawn Sword exclaimed as the shattered remains of the massive Leviathan attack ship floated away from the quickly fading explosion. "OK, split up and take it to em'. Fire at will."

"Sir," Bluestone's voice came over the comm system suddenly. "The remaining ships are retreating, and using what's left of their auto mechs to cover their rears. Should the Nova cruisers press the attack?"

"... No, the Dragons have done enough damage for today, and they know it. Dawn Sword to all Outcast Legends. Call off the counter-attack unless further provoked."

"Does that include us?" Jean inquired smugly.

"Don't push it. I'm not exactly thrilled that you stole those pods, either, so if you can figure out how to, dock em' and wait until I get back to the station."

"You're staying out here?" Suzuka inquired.

"Someone needs to instruct the fleet." He replied, then switched his comm systems to talk to the whole fleet. "Dawn Sword to the fleet. I want all Nova cruisers that are in good shape to hold the blockade in case the Dragons decide to change their minds. Grappler Pod squadrons three, six, seven, and nine, back up the main fleet. One, two, four and five, cover the rest of the base. The rest of you I want on repair work STAT. Over and out."

Dawn Sword would've sighed in relief if the pod link would have allowed it. Things had looked bad for awhile when he and the others were in the fray of battle, but turning his pod in the direction of North Star, he quickly realized that the damages done were minimal, considering. Three or four Nova cruisers drifted without engine power in the midst of space, obviously having taken heavy damage. Others, while damaged, were still able to drag themselves back towards their positions in the blockade. In the distance, the remains of the Dragon fleet began to glow blue as the ones that could began to warp into ether drive.

But deep inside, he knew that that had barely been a preliminary strike. Soon, he could feel it, the battle would start in earnest.

  
  


When Suzuka took her first step out of the pod, she was instantly and keenly aware of multiple weapons aimed at the opening on both the far right and left, so as to catch her in the crossfire if need be when she stepped out fully. The first thing that registered in her mind was that these people were either extremely ungrateful, or Bluestone had ordered this. So, placing her sword on the ground right in front of the pod's airlock and stepping out with her hands in the air, Suzuka was quickly greeted by:

"Don't move an inch, Twilight Suzuka." It was Bluestone speaking, naturally. The female warrior stood in front of a group of at least twenty armor-clad warriors on Suzuka's right, all of them with hand weapons locked onto Suzuka, and another group of soldiers on the left numbered at about twenty five. Suzuka noted with an almost bemused interest that she had never before been targeted with weapons by so many people all at once, and factoring in the strange ability that Bluestone and the other occupants of the station had to become immune to any matter of Suzuka's attacks, Suzuka quickly realized that fighting was the worst possible option in this situation.

"Don't worry, I won't." Suzuka replied, then in a mockingly cordial tone added "But it seems to me that you don't care that my friends and I just helped save your base."

"By knocking out the rightful pilots of those Grappler Pods and stealing our defensive weapons?? What do you take me for, a moron? I don't know how you and your friends managed to circumvent the security systems in those pods, but don't count on it happening again." Bluestone made sure her gun was level. "Fortunately for you, all it takes is one dart and you won't remember any of this. Your android friend Melfina may take a little time to reprogram, but trust me when I say that she won't remember a thing, either."

"I don't think that's quite fair, considering I'm under Dawn Sword's protection, or at least the person you call Dawn Sword."

"Forget fair; you're all a threat to the security of this base and the secrecy of our operation, and I have sworn to protect both with my life. Now hold still and we won't have to do this the hard way."

Suddenly, a beep emanated from Bluestone's wrist communicator.

"Dawn Sword to Bluestone. I've got a bone to pick with you, Lieutenant Commander." Said a familiar voice from the comm unit.

Bluestone's military expression instantly dropped into a bitter 'you've got to be kidding me' look as she holstered her gun and tapped the comm unit.

"This is Bluestone." She said reluctantly. Sighing, she added "Go ahead sir."

"Bluestone, when I docked my pod I heard that you had relocated most of the base security forces to Grappler Pod Launch Zone 22. I take it you have a good reason for that?" Dawn Sword asked in a tone that proved he already knew why Bluestone had pulled out such a maneuver.

"… I was trying to apprehend Suzuka and her friends, sir." Bluestone explained in a downcast tone.

"Ah, I see." Dawn Sword reprimanded gently. "Kindly dismiss them back to their regular duties. After all, the base sustained noteworthy damages in that battle and we need everyone we can get."

"But sir…!" Bluestone complained, then tightened her jaw and added. "Sir, with all due respect, I personally believe that this is a flagrant violation of protocol and a serious security risk. What's more is that I-"

"Bluestone, have I ever asked you to do something without having a good reason for it?"

"… I don't think so, sir."

"Then trust me. I promise that I'll explain everything as soon as I can, but in the meantime kindly show Suzuka the way to the briefing room, would you? And ask somebody in command to arrange some rooms for her and our other guests."

"But sir-!"

"Buestone, please, don't make me have to pull rank."

She sighed deeply before responding.

"Yes sir, but for the record I consider this a bad leadership judgement on your part."

"I'll make sure to put it into the station's history logs. Dawn Sword out."

It was all Suzuka could do to suppress a clever smirk. Bluestone waved off the fifty-so guards and they began filing out of the room slowly, most keeping one eye on Suzuka despite their orders. Suzuka picked up her sword as Bluestone motioned for Suzuka to follow her. Once they left the large but low-ceiling docking ring, Bluestone turned to Suzuka with an obviously hostile expression.

"Let's get a few things straight, 'Ms. Twilight.' First, I don't trust you in the least. Second, you make one wrong move and you'll find a dart in your side faster than you can say sub-ether. Thirdly, Dawn Sword had better have one heck of a good reason for giving you the red carpet treatment like this. We clear?"

"Are you angry at me because I stole some of your Grappler Pods, because I had my sword aimed to kill you, or because I just embarrassed you in front of your troops, lieutenant commander?" Suzuka inquired mischievously. "Or is it D, all of the above?"

"Add into that the fact that assassins killed my brother, and yeah, all of the above." Bluestone added with bittercold resentment.

Had she been anyone else, that may have stunned Suzuka somewhat. But even so, such a remark was not lost on her. She quickly realized she'd been giving Bluestone a hard time without a real reason and decided to forego her pride enough to make some kind of apology. 

"I didn't know that." She stated simply.

"Yeah, whatever. Just follow me and don't try anything." Bluestone stated, turning and walking off. Suzuka followed a few feet behind her as the two once again traveled the long halls and corridors in search of Dawn Sword.


	4. Dawning Truth

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

  
  


Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Mysteries

  
  


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

  
  


Chapter 4- Dawning Truth

The briefing room was actually rather spacious, and as Suzuka walked in she couldn't help but notice that. The wall directly in front of her was either a large window showing off the starscape outside the base, or a computer-rendered image to give the room a more open feeling than the rest of the base. Since Suzuka hadn't seen any windows on the outside of the base, she assumed the second to be more likely. A large round metallic table was the centerpiece of the room, ringed with stationary chairs. Dawn Sword was standing in front of the 'window' when Suzuka entered, and quickly turned to look in her direction when he heard the doors open. Bluestone, stepping in first, was the first person Dawn Sword spoke to.

"Bluestone, I'd appreciate it if this could be sort of private."

"Sir,... since I've already stated my opinion, I'd just like to advise you that I don't consider her trustworthy." Bluestone stated with the unspoken meaning that she wouldn't put it past Suzuka to try to kill him.

"I appreciate your concern, Bluestone, but I can take care of myself."

Begrudgingly, Bluestone exited the room. Suzuka noted that 'Dawn Sword' was obviously carefully thinking over what he wanted to say. But Suzuka intended to be the first one to speak.

"I came here because I was looking for an old associate of mine who went my the name of Dawn Sword. It isn't hard to see that you aren't him, but several questions present themselves to me now. Since you're not the person I was looking for, I'd like to know who you are and why you seem to know me."

Dawn Sword looked at her for a second, then turned and looked out the window.

"There's a lot of history wrapped up in a question like that, probably more than even I can really give answer to." He looked at her directly, half the room still separating them. "There's a lot about yourself that you should know, too."

"What do you mean?" She inquired.

"... Maybe I should start at the beginning, and tell the story from there."

  
  


The year was 2659, and on the planet earth, exciting new things were underway. Technology was now advanced to the point where the both the moon and Mars were nearly completely terraformed for human life, humans had made their first few remote contacts with extraterrestrials, and the forerunner to the sub-ether drive, the phase-induction engine, was nearly ready to be released for public use. Humanity was both more prosperous and more powerful than ever, and on the surface everything looked good.

Then humanity got it's first taste of interstellar combat as the entire solar system erupted into warfare. Mars sided with the Kai Alliance, and the moon with the Earthsphere Unified Nations. The other space colonies that decided not to side with the Kai were quickly raided, ransacked, and destroyed. It was an apocalyptic age, and with the introduction of the Vernati virus, which was designed to instantly kill the nerve cells of anyone it encountered, human casualties were massive on both sides. Soldiers were given a burial in space, and thousands upon thousands of hollowed-out weapons shells, bearing within them the dead, were randomly and without destination jettisoned into the uncharted far reaches, perhaps in the hopes that one day a way to revive them would be found.

In fact, the cure found them.

The galactic leyline somehow, through some twist of destiny or fate, soon became the place where many of these warriors would end up. The history regarding how, why, or if there were other forces involved in sending these death-rended soldiers to the leyline, may forever be a mystery. All that is known is that somehow, no one knows how, the galactic leyline soon became harbor to these, and that it somehow revived them, returning all of the people who had died to a childlike state and giving them a second chance at life. Maybe the leyline somehow knew about the conflict, and had, somewhere amidst it's artificial intelligence, had mercy on the humans. And so, turning them to infants, making them incapable of waging war on each other, these soldiers became the children of the galactic leyline. As they grew, all their needs met by the leyline, they had no understanding or memory of the war they had fought amongst themselves, of the families they had left behind, of everything and anything previous to the leyline.

But suddenly, all that changed.

Despite what was almost doubtlessly the leyline's best attempts to make them forget, the memories began seeping through. For many, it was in dreams. For less than a handful, the memories simply began to return uncontrollably. The children, who had now grown to young adults, knew almost nothing of the leyline's ability to grant them indomitable power, bodies that would never wear out or grow old, or wisdom beyond understanding. Nonetheless, the war to own sole possession of the leyline, their home, began.

Only the battle lines were drawn far different than the previous war. There were two sides, both based upon decisions. The first group believed that the leyine was a treasure, a wonderful place that should be shared with the rest of humanity. The other side, including some of those who had at least a vague notion of the leyline's true power, believed that the leyline should be kept a secret, that somehow the leyline had selected them for some far greater purpose than the rest of humanity.

The leyline would have none of it.

There were, in existence, two 'sub-leylines' that had been created by the same race as had formed the leyline. The sub-leylines had been forerunners to the galactic leyline, and incorporated far less powerful but still adequete ion-synthesis technology than the leyline itself. The leyline, fearing to be drawn into either side of the conflict and forced to oppose those it had rescued, sent both groups each to one of the sub-leylines and arranged to have both groups needs met for on these sub-leylines just as it had done for them before the conflict.

It would be a long time before the two groups would meet again. Since their bodies had been revitalized and cared for by the galactic leyline, it became average for anyone amongst them to live for over 400 years or more, only beginning to show signs of aging around 300 years old. They were all fit and healthy, almost unquestionably stronger than the rest of the human race. The group that had treasured the sanctity of the leyline and had wished to share it with humanity had named themselves the Remnant, and their sub-leyline ZX7, for no real particular reason except that the name seemed to flow well. The other group, who had named themselves the Dragons after the dragon symbol that glowed on the floor right outside the access door to the inner leyline, a place none of them had ever been permitted to go to, quickly began to explore what the sub-leyline could offer them. After a few years, both groups grew to have an understanding of the technological marvels that had been given to them as their new home, although both also desired to return to the leyline.

The Dragons were the first to attack. Seeking to own both sub-leylines and increase their power enough to find a way to return to the leyline, they had attacked ZX7, and killed many people before they were defeated and driven back.

To the Remnant, the path before them now became clear. After years and years, their purpose became clear. They were far too far away from earth to return, and their technology was limited. They weren't even sure there was an earth to return to. How would they explain themselves, and what had happened? Nonetheless, they knew this much. They no longer feared death. The leyline had gone from being a mother figure to hundreds of thousands of people to a sought-after way to get intense power. A resolution was decided amongst the Remnant.

They would stay, and protect ZX7, and in some small way, also the galactic leyline. For no one should ever be given limitless, unchecked powers. To a large extent, greed, hatred, and distrust had brought about the war from which the leyline seemed to have saved them. They'd been given a second chance, and they were determined to make it a good one.

  
  


"And that's how it happened. The inhabitants of this base are the descendants of the first Remnant colonists. Ever since this war began, ages ago, the Remnant survivors have been determined to keep anyone from ever abusing the leyline's powers ever again." Dawn Sword stated. "My real name is Collin Jeran, but my code name is Dawn Sword. The Outcast Legends are all people who somehow were given different special powers by the leyline or sub-leyline ZX7, and I've been their leader ever since my father was assassinated."

For a few minutes, Suzuka could only stand there as all this sunk in. She could tell Dawn Sword was being honest, and plus no one could fabricate a story like that. She suddenly felt a tinge of guilt that she had come here intending to do nothing less than to kill Dawn Sword and destroy as much of this base as possible.

"I have a confession to make." Suzuka stated, looking away. "I came here with the intention of killing an old foe of mine, who had also gone by the name Dawn Sword. Assuming you to be him, I had planned to kill him and then create an explosive reaction in the nebula around your base to cover my escape. I apologize."

Dawn Sword looked at her for several long moments, then turned back to the stars displayed in front of him.

"My father didn't die in battle, or on this base or ZX7. It was during a time when the Dragon forces hadn't attacked in a long time, and he decided to take most of the family back towards earth, to teach my older sister and twin brothers about earth's history. He didn't want them to become caught up in the future battles, didn't want them to remember the fighting. He decided to leave me here so I could learn to be the leader in his place, since he could tell that I had great skills as not only just a leader and warrior, but that I had inherited the ability to have special powers, just like he had." He paused for a minute. "He didn't know my sister had those powers, too, just as strong as I did."

"I don't understand what you're trying to say." Suzuka stated.

"… The Dragon forces found out about my father and family leaving the Remnant and Outcast Legends, and sent an assassin to kill not only him, but the whole family." He turned and looked at Suzuka, his eyes making direct contact with her. "But one escaped. My older sister."

The meaning, and truth, of his words was unquestionable. Suzuka's eyes widened as the reality of what Dawn Sword was saying to her began to sink in.

"I believe you know that assassin, Suzuka." Dawn Sword stated. "Nowadays he goes by the code name Cerpa, but when he was working covertly with the Kai pirates he was known as-"

"Hitiriga." Suzuka said in a low voice, shaken by what Dawn Sword was telling her. "You mean he's alive?"

"Yes, he's alive. Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because I killed him in the galactic leyline." She paused, realizing that it was Hitiriga whom had had her in that stranglehold when she first met up with Bluestone. "But apparently he's survived somehow." She put her sword down on the table and looked at Dawn Sword with a soft, somewhat confused but gentle look in her eyes. " . . . So, you're my … brother?"

He nodded.

"I know this is a lot to take in, not to mention hard to believe, but it's all true." He paused, then pulled out his sword and laid it on the table. "You told Bluestone that you recognized this?" He inquired.

Suzuka looked carefully at it for a minute, making certain it was the same sword, then nodded in agreement.

"It seems that the Dawn Sword you met on Dead Man's Sheer," He paused, looking at the sword. "Is the Cameron that I met when I was almost dead."

"What do you mean?" Suzuka inquired.

"… It happened during a mission I was involved in on the third moon of Tassadar. I was taking a small force on a recon mission when suddenly, out of nowhere, we were attacked. We all fought our hardest, but DragonMage himself was on the front lines of the attack. He demolished the entire force, but somehow I survived. I remember him looking down on me, hold hatred in his eyes, and driving his sword through my chest, then turning and leaving me for dead." He paused. "Then, the next thing I knew, a figure in blue armor was standing over me helping me to my feet. I still have a scar on both my chest and back from where the sword went through, but somehow all the internal damage DragonMage did to me was gone. He told me his name was Cameron, then gave me this sword and left." He sighed and shook his head. "Until now, I couldn't make heads or tails of it."

"Do you think he might somehow be linked to the galactic leyline?" Suzuka inquired.

Dawn Sword was silent for a moment, then looked out the window in silent thought. Suzuka came up alongside him silently, and he glanced at her for a second before continuing to speak.

"Maybe. Like I said, there's some mysteries not even I have the answers to." He was silent for a second. "The universe is just so filled with mysteries. I think that's why the leyline exists."

"What do you mean?"

"Suzuka, did you ever think about the fact that every atom in the universe vibrates at a pitch and frequency unique to it's element?" He inquired, not taking his eyes off the stars. "It's like one giant symphony, only we can't hear it. Can you imagine it? If all of our universe was a song, what would it sound like? The void of space is like pauses in the music, giving it rhythm and flow." He paused for a minute. "From what the Remnant has learned about the leyline, I personally think it's possible that whoever created the leyline and sub-leylines was trying to understand that music, perhaps, in some way, figure out the meaning of life. The leyline's primary function seems to be the acquiring of knowledge; why else would someone create a massive supercomputer capable of both a degree of intelligent thought and of creating and altering matter in any way it wished?"

"…Perhaps they hoped that eventually someone would come along and make the right wish, and then it would all make sense." Suzuka proposed.

Dawn Sword looked at her for a long moment, then nodded and turned back to the starscape.

"Maybe. Maybe."

There was a long period of silence that passed between them.

"… It's so strange, suddenly having a brother after thinking for years that my entire family was dead." She paused. "Collin, if the leyline could grant you one wish, what would it be? To have your,… our family back?"

"No. Even if the leyline could revive them after all these years, it wouldn't be the same. Besides, I just couldn't feel right about using the leyline for personal reasons, even to bring our family back, because if I did then I might be tempted to use it for other things. I suppose no one would trust themselves with a limitless 'genie in a bottle' if they knew there was a chance they could lose control and hurt others." He looked at her. "For now, I'm thankful that you're here. For years, I thought you were dead."

"Should I tell my Jean and the others about this?" She inquired.

"If you want to, I suppose." He paused. "How did you and your friends get into the galactic leyline?"

Suzuka told him the whole story, about how both Melfina and the Outlaw Star were connected to the galactic leyline and how Hazanka and the Antean 7 had broken through the leyline's protective shield, and all the chaos that ensued when both groups had landed on the surface of the leyline.

Dawn Sword looked aside for a second, a worried look in his face.

"So that's why DragonMage attacked…" He thought out loud. "He was trying to verify that you and your friends had come here. I'd bet my life that he's gonna try to use the Outlaw Star to get into the leyline."

"But if Hitiriga is working with DragonMage, he'd know how Hazanka broke through the leyline's shield. Why doesn't he just do what Hazanka did?"

"Probably because he knows that it would take time, and that we'd attack immediately and destroy his efforts. In this case, we need to make sure the Outlaw Star and your friend Melfina are protected, because if DragonMage breaks into the leyline, there's no telling just how powerful he could become."

  
  


Jean scanned the room quickly as the automated doors behind him slid silently closed. A metallic desk stood in one corner, jutting out of the wall. Opposite it was a rather large bed, simple but nicely designed. An open doorway to his left led into a bathroom, and right in front of him on the wall was a rather large computer screen. His first thought was that it reminded him of a large hotel room, but he figured it could've been worse. He was curious, however, as to what that computer screen did. Walking over to it, he examined the different options it had available on the large touch pad part of the screen.

"Hm, let's see here,…maps of the base, list of mealtimes, hey, what's this do?" He wondered, tapping a button labeled 'Change Environment'. Several other sub-options instantly popped up, including 'starscape', 'woodlands', 'rainforest', 'under water', and others. Becoming even more curious, Jean tapped the 'starscape' option, and suddenly all the walls of the room faded away to display the vast void of space.

Suddenly, Jean could feel that old, irritating, irrational space-phobia welling up inside of him, and quickly selected another option.

  
  


While Jean toyed with the holographic room environment system, Jim was busy doing some serious research. Unlike Jean, who'd missed the 'history logs' option on first view, Jim had caught sight of it immediately. Scrolling through general explanations of the history of this base and it's inhabitants, Jim couldn't help but be amazed. After nearly twenty minutes, he decided to switch from the general history to the holographic archive, watching as visual records of explosive battles between the Remnant forces and Dragon armies played out in front of him.

  
  


Aisha, unlike any of the others, had decided to go check out the base's battle and strength training locations. She got a few odd looks as she walked down the hallways, but nothing much happened until she got to her destination, a zone the computer map had labeled as the holo-gym. Seeing that there were no guards or anything outside the doors, she decided to slip quietly inside and see what was going on.

The first thing she noticed was that the holo-gym reminded her a lot of a cyber game room, with odd looking glowing blue panels on the walls, floor, and ceiling. The second thing was that a guy in a black jumpsuit and dark blue chest armor, who was carrying a rather large scythe, was in the very center of the room, battling against what looked like half a dozen ninjas. The ninjas were pretty quick, but the scythe fighter was even faster, dodging throwing stars, kicks, punches, and sword-swipes from at least three ninjas at a time, and managing to land decisive blows with his scythe in-between evasions. Aisha watched quietly as the figure suddenly slashed his scythe in mid-air, sending out a long, thin boomerang of white energy, slicing cleanly through the few remaining ninjas.

"Hey, not bad." Aisha said out loud, stepping into plain view. The figure looked up at her for a second, startled, and quickly brushed one long strand of dark chestnut hair out of his face. His skin was a dark chocolate color, which worked rather well with the outfit he wore. Aisha thought for a second, then added. "In fact, you remind me a lot of Suzuka. The name's Aisha Clan-Clan."

"Hey, aren't you one of those people who stole the Grappler Pods earlier today?" He inquired in a serious tone, then cracked a smile. "Nice flying out there. You and your friends aren't half-bad GP pilots. Name's Reaper; nice ta meet you."

"So, were those holograms or something?"

"Sorta. Ion-synthesis projections; and they fight almost as good as the real thing."

"Mind if I give it a try?"

"Sure, I guess."

  
  


While Aisha battled, Jim studied, and Jean got comfortable with his new surroundings, Melfina sat silently on the edge of the bed in her room.

She knew what this strange feeling was, at least to some degree. The leyline, or something very much like it. Nearby.

She could remember feeling like this the last time the group had been to the leyline itself. Only it was different somehow this time.

Something was happening to the leyline. She could feel it.

Something very wrong was happening.


	5. Revelations

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

Chapter 5-The Revealing

Suzuka looked about calmly, taking in the rather unique group that Dawn Sword had gathered into the briefing room. It was now the day after she, Jean, and the others had arrived at this strange defense base and found out they were now caught up in the middle of a secret interstellar war. Jean, Melfina, and Aisha sat on her left, and Jim sat on her right. The other figures gathered around the table were all obviously strong warriors and each seemed unique in his or her own way; almost unquestionably, these were the Outcast Legends, the Remnant's special fighting force. Dawn Sword sat at the part of the table nearest the computerized starscape, and once everything quieted down some he stood to get everyone's attention.

"I'll try to be brief and to the point." Dawn Sword stated, standing up from his seat. He looked at each face in the room one by one, then continued. "I want everyone's solemn promise that nothing said in this room will be spoken of outside this room to anyone not here right now. Understood?"

Everyone nodded their agreement. Dawn Sword took a deep breath.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, I've been rather… unorthodox in my actions concerning Suzuka and her friends. I don't doubt that the whole base is anxious to know why I've taken the measures that I have, especially all of you, who know me best. Well, it's time that the facts were laid down on the table, since I make it my responsibility not to keep anything from all of you that concerns the wellbeing of this base, ZX7, and the Remnant at large."

He paused, then continued.

"The way all of this started was almost unquestionably bizarre. The fact that Suzuka and agent Bluestone ran into each other, bringing to light the fact that she has powers much like my own, that she could even detect the battle Bluestone was fighting against Cerpa despite the phantom shields that rendered both invisible, and her claim to know who I was and the detailed description she gave of my sword, all these things led me to hope, perhaps to assume, that she was in fact… my sister, Suzuka Jeran." At that, the whole room was utterly silent. Jean, Jim, Melfina, and Aisha all gave Suzuka a wide-eyed expression of utter surprised disbelief. Dawn Sword continued. "As it turned out, she and I seemed to have both encountered the mysterious figure who gave me the sword, and thus her knowledge of it's design, but now I've been able to confirm that she is in fact my sister."

"Are you sure?" Reaper asked. "Have you done any testing to verify?"

"Not as of yet, but if Suzuka consents, we can do a DNA analysis to confirm what I'm already almost positive of. She herself states that her parents were killed by the assassin Cerpa, acting as Hitiriga under the Kai Pirates." He took a minute to collect his thoughts. "But it seems that DragonMage has taken an interest in Suzuka and her friends as well. Suzuka, would you explain?"

Suzuka stood up slowly, then looked around the room before speaking.

"Roughly one year ago, my friends and I penetrated the Galactic Leyline, along with the McDougal brothers and the Antean 7, including Cerpa. The Ctarl-Ctarl empire also attempted to penetrate the leyline, but they were driven back by the leyline's protective shielding. We were able to enter the leyline primarily because our ship, the Outlaw Star, was built and designed for that very purpose. It was a project both the Kai Pirates and certain government forces had been working on, but it had been abandoned. Jean here took a job offer to help a person known as 'Hot-Ice' Hilda seize the ship, but when the Kai Pirates attacked and destroyed Hilda's ship, Jean was left in possession of the Outlaw Star."

"But how was it that you were able to enter the leyline with nothing more than a specially designed grappler ship?" Someone from the back inquired.

"The Outlaw Star has a very unique system installed in it." Jean interjected. "We're not entirely sure how it works, only that Melfina needs to link up directly with the ship for anything but the doors and repair systems to function. From what I've seen, Melfina seems to be the 'key' to the leyline, and is immune to the effects of the leyline's shield. She navigated the ship through the shield and into the leyline."

"But what's more," Suzuka added. "Is that Melfina is the key to opening the inner leyline, in the most literal of ways." Suzuka looked at Melfina for a moment. "She and the leyline's personality core, which calls itself the Maiden of the Leyline, are nearly one person. If Melfina can create a link with the leyline, we believe she can, in essence, control it directly."

"And that's where our problem is." Dawn Sword interjected. "Since Cerpa was present during their galactic leyline encounter, he knows that Melfina is the key and that the Outlaw Star can open the door. There's no way DragonMage is going to let an opportunity to bust into the leyline and milk it for everything it's worth just slip through his fingers. Even if it means finding a way to destroy this base, which if I know him is exactly what he's working on. He'll try to make us trade Melfina and the Outlaw Star for the lives of the people on this base and on ZX7, and he'll throw his entire army and space force into it if he has to."

"Then our best chance is to destroy the Outlaw Star." Someone suggested, causing Jean and Melfina to instantly jerk their heads in that person's direction. "If DragonMage can't enter the leyline, he won't have a way to use Melfina to access the leyline itself."

"Now hold on a minute here." Jean stated, somewhat angry. "What makes you think you can just decide to blow up my ship?!"

"We're not going to destroy the Outlaw Star." Dawn Sword reassured. "What we're going to do is beat DragonMage at his own game. Firstly, Hazanka somehow figured out a way to get into the leyline without the Outlaw Star, so destroying it won't do any good in the long run, just slow him down momentarily. And I personally think it's well past time that the Remnant and Dragons settled this war once and for all. We've proven time and again how well defended our strongholds are. Now I think it's time the Remnant got off the defensive and took the fight into their territory. This is what we've been preparing for our whole lives. All wars come to an end, and it's time this one saw some conclusion."

There were varied exclamations of agreement from all around the room. Suzuka nodded gently in approval and looked at Dawn Sword.

"OK, then. Here's what we're going to do. NightShade, how much power does ZX7 have left?"

NightShade was a somewhat darkish figure with deep purple eyes, long dark-blond hair, and somewhat rounded facial features that showed her to be an enthusiastic warrior with a flare for battle. Her outfit, a dark green shirt with black sleeves and black pants, was accented by the ninja sword she carried, which was presently sheathed and strapped to her waist.

"It's gone down another two percent since our last check on the power supply. It seems that the power failure is increasing it's rate." She replied.

"If we were to use all the power that's left to synthesize raw materials, then bring them up here and use them for Nova Cruisers, about how many cruisers do you think we could make and by when?"

"At my best estimate, I'd say more than 300 would be seriously pushing it. If we made 300, the cruisers might take two weeks to finish constructing, if we worked at it non-stop."

"Shoot for 320 cruisers, and get everyone you can on the project. Firestorm, Vapor, work with Jean and his crew to get the Outlaw Star retrofitted with everything we have to offer. If worse comes to worse and they have to defend themselves against DragonMage's fleets, I want them to have a fighting chance. Also, make sure to work with the crew to get them PWDs and whatever other weaponry they may require. Pretend like it's them verses DragonMage and his elite forces; give them everything they'd need to hopefully win the fight, even if you have to give them some of our experimental weaponry."

Firestorm and Vapor looked to be identical twins. Both had short dark-blue hair that fell just above their shoulders. Firestorm had glowing golden-red eyes and wore a gray jumpsuit with small leg and arm bracers designed to look like bright red flames. Vapor had a light-blue visor over her deep-black eyes and she also had a gliave strapped over her back with the blade to the ground. 

"Um, don't you think that's going a little overboard?" Vapor inquired.

"Since Jean and his crew are DragonMage's targets at the moment, I want them treated as if they were members of the Outcast Legends just like all of us. Either we can keep the ship and Melfina from falling into DragonMage's hands, or we can kiss our universe goodbye. Work with them, train with them, and teach them what they'll need to know to help beat DragonMage. Also, it wouldn't hurt if we could construct a decoy of the Outlaw Star, in case we need to fake the Dragons out during a battle. Any questions?"

Jim raised his hand.

"Only one." Jim then inquired. "Why are you guys called the Outcast Legends?"

Dawn Sword smirked.

"Because 'X-Men' was already taken. Any other questions?"

"Yeah. Um, what level of security access will Jean's crew be allowed?" Backtrack inquired. He had particularly broad shoulders and carried as his weapon a long black-metal rod which was strapped to his left leg. He had strange green eyes that almost seemed transparent, and had brown hair cut short in the back but long in the front, the long strands of his bangs kept out of his eyes by a white headband. His outfit was mostly white with black trim, his shirt sleeveless so as to reveal his rippling muscles.

"Everything but reactor control and primary engineering, in which cases either myself or another member of the Outcast Legends would accompany them." Dawn Sword replied.

"I assume since they're our 'unofficial Outcast Legends', that they'd answer to you, right Dawn Sword?" NightShade inquired.

"Here's the way we're gonna work that. Jean's crew answers to Jean, and Jean answers to me. That OK with you, Jean?"

"Yeah, so long as you don't ask me to blow up my ship." Jean replied with a half-laugh.

"Any other questions?" Dawn Sword asked. There was a long moment of silence. "OK, then meeting adjourned."

As DragonMage walked silently down the halls of his asteroid fortress, he couldn't help but smirk. Everything Cerpa had told him was being verified. Once the Maiden was in his possession, there wouldn't be a thing the Remnant, not even the Outcast Legends, could do to stop him from attaining ultimate power. He made a fist and let sparks of electric energy flow through his clenched fingers. Yes, soon enough. Soon, his true destiny would be at last realized, his ultimate greatness made manifest. But first, trivialities must be dealt with, including getting Melfina and entering the leyline.

As he entered the large, empty docking bay, he immediately fixed his eyes on the golden-hulled ship before him. The El Dorado, as it were. There would be no need of guards on this occasion. He wanted to deal with this personally.

Suddenly, he was acutely aware of an energized bullet hurtling through the air at him, it's origin point from somewhere on his right, just past the nose of the El Dorado. DragonMage quickly vaporized the projectile with a single bolt of black electricity, then spun quickly to guard against volleys of super-speed punches and kicks with a neon-blue energy shield, causing the attacker to bounce harmlessly off the blue sphere with each attempt. Other bullets were quickly fired by the gunman hiding behind the El Dorado, but the primitive ammunitions simply bounced off the shield harmlessly. Deciding to put an end to this pointless conflict, DragonMage aimed his hands at the blurred assailant who continued to tirelessly barrage his shield with kicks and punches. The shield vanished instantly as waves of near-invisible power sent the ninja-like warrior flying backwards into the El Dorado, and the waves of power were still strong enough even at that point to send the El Dorado, with a monstrously loud sound, onto it's side.

"I must give you credit, gentlemen. Your attack was well thought out and prepared for. Any normal human would have been dead three or four times by now, but as you can see you have both broken the first rule of warfare: to know your opponent." He paused. "Fortunately for the both of you, I did not bring your ship into this docking bay simply for the sake of destroying you or it." He held his hands wide and non-threateningly. "I simply wish to talk."

"Then why the heck were we brought here against our will?" Ronald McDougal shouted in defiance, somehow seeming to have evaded the ship's falling on him. "You Kai Pirates aren't gonna get the best of the McDougal brothers with a couple of invisible grappler ships and a bunch of showy powers."

"Please, you misunderstand." DragonMage laughed. "We are not the Kai Pirates, and the only reason we had to bring you here is because you would never have come any other way. In fact, I have a proposition for you two gentlemen."

"You OK over there Harry?" Ron asked, obviously ignoring DragonMage's question. Harry groaned as he pulled himself out of the crater he'd made in the side of the El Dorado.

"Let's just say it's a good thing I can't feel pain, Ron." Harry responded as he got to his feet. "We're not interested in any propositions for somebody like you." He challenged to DragonMage.

"At least allow me to introduce myself. My name is DragonMage, leader of the Dragon collective forces. I have an offer for the two of you, an offer that will make you both very rich."

"Can it, 'Merlin'." Ron challenged. "I know when to trust my hunches and something tells me that with powers like those the only things you'd need our help for are suicide missions."

"On the contrary; I intend to guarantee your safety and well-being. Won't you at least hear me out?"

Ron hesitated a moment, then spoke.

"Alright, but don't move a muscle except your mouth." He said, gun still level.

"Very well. I was told by an associate of mine, an old member of Hazanka's Antean 7, that the two of you managed to break through the defenses of the galactic leyline. Well I myself am most interested in getting to the leyline and I'd be willing to pay handsomely for any services towards that goal which you'd be willing to provide."

"Forget it." Harry stated, standing in a battle position. "Last time we went there, we both almost lost our lives. Besides, once we get you into the leyline, how do we know you won't turn on us?"

"Gentlemen, I may be a Dragon, but I am not a monster." He assured. "True, I do seek the leyline's power for myself, but I value people like yourselves who gain true strength by enduring and surviving the worst. You have my word that no harm shall come to you."

"Not good enough." Ron stated.

"Then perhaps I know of something that is 'good enough'." He said, a small sphere-shaped device suddenly appearing in his hand. The sphere began to glow neon blue and with a flash a holographic image of Melfina, projected by the sphere, appeared several feet in front of him. "I am well aware that to access the innermost parts of the leyline requires this young girl, namely Melfina, Maiden of the Leyline. My old associate from the Antean 7 also told me that he observed that one of you had a particular fondness for her. If you help me, I will help you with Melfina."

"Scum!" Harry shouted. "How dare you talk about her like that!! I'd never force Melfina to help you."

"Force? No, let it never be so. She, like yourself, is an android given a free will, and it would be a shame to take that from her. What I suggest is merely that you attempt to convince her to help me. What I'm doing is for the good of my people; surely she can respect that." He deactivated the sphere and tossed it to Harry. "In the meantime, take this as a goodwill gift. If you wish, I can have maintenance workers begin repairs on your ship immediately. You're free to leave whenever you want."

DragonMage turned and began to slowly walk away.

"… Wait." Ron suddenly spoke up. DragonMage stopped his steps. "If you're on the level, maybe we'll be willing to help you, under certain conditions. First, though, I'm not gonna do anything unless my brother agrees to it." He turned and looked at Harry. "What'dyou thing, Harry?"

"… So long as he's not gonna hurt Melfina, I'd be willing to go along with it." Harry stated, then turned to DragonMage. "Just how much are you willing to pay?"

DragonMage smirked. It was time to play his trump card.

"How about enough Dragonite to buy a large planet, paid completely in advance, as well as access to weaponry and technology you probably never fathomed even in your wildest dreams? You pride yourselves on piloting the fastest ship ever, correct? I have technology that can boost your sub-ether drive to the same speed as your ether drive, and make your ether drive twice as fast as anything you've ever seen. I have access to weapons that can burn though a large asteroid in a single hit, and armor that bullets and lasers just bounce harmlessly off of. I am willing to give you whatever is in my power to give, in exchange for you assistance in this matter. What do you say?"

The technology that the crew of the Outlaw Star had been given by Dawn Sword was impressive, to say the least. Jean, determined to stick with his own weapons, had been given access to an assortment of various super-powerful shells, most compatible with his Caster gun. He took one at random in his hands as Vapor explained what the different shells did.

"The AZL-7 shells explode on contact; they're pretty much standard arsenal around here. Over there's the darts we use for memory erasing in the rare instances that somebody like Suzuka finds out about us, but you probably won't need any of those."

"How exactly do those work?" Jean inquired. "Just out of curiosity."

"Sends a special undetectable chemical into the blood stream. When that blood gets to the brain, it neutralizes the electrochemical signals that help store recent sensory input. So long as the effected person is hit within a few hours of the memories, all knowledge about the encounter is neutralized. If it takes longer than that to capture the person, special neural energy probes can be used to successfully nullify the memories. Eventually the memories are remembered in part, but not for years after and the person usually assumes them to be memories of a dream or such."

"Now that's interesting technology. Hey, what kind are these?" He said, looking into another crate.

"We like to call them freeze missiles." Firestorm stated. "The cartridge is actually a conductor. It shoots a beam of phase-warp energy that'll start transforming normal breathing air into solid ice at exactly five inches from the nozzle of your gun. Useful for capturing an opponent or at least neutralizing them as a threat, but most normal human beings can't survive the freezing process."

"As I remember," Vapor added. "DragonMage was hit dead-on by two of these at the same time and lived to tell about it."

"Yeah, we almost had him that time." Firestorm added, then proceeded to the next box of bullets, neatly arranged just like the others. "These are a personal favorite for most of the Remnant soldiers. They're trans-phasic bullets, and they pack one heck of a punch. Can instantly vaporize anything they hit through a half-second process of built-in sensors analyzing the electrical bonds of an object and then sending out a reverse pulse, causing the object to disassemble itself at the sub-atomic level. For instance, hit somebody who's unshielded with one of these, and in the blink of an eye all that'll be left is their clothes. Only downside is that because they're so powerful, it'll take at least ten minutes for any gun to recharge from firing one, so only use it when you're sure of a hit or you could cause a chain reaction that'll turn the surface of a planet to dust for a radius of half a mile and a depth of half a mile. It's also useful for neutralizing shield barriers."

Jean whistled in utter stunned surprise. 'Now that's what I call power.' He thought to himself. 'Might wanna carry a few of those with me in case of emergency.'

"Here's the AZL-11 bullets." Vapor explained to him. "They're another favorite with the soldiers. They fire decently quick and each packs the destructive power of an atomic bomb into a blast range the size of a model airplane. You don't even really have to have good aim, because any unshielded living thing within ten feet of the explosion will instantly get a lethal dose of radiation. Needless to say, they're best at long range."

"Now that's a useful bullet." Jean stated. "Got anything else?"

"A few more. Shockwave X-2s, Plasma bullets, and Homing 4-G7s. Pick and choose what you want." Vapor stated as Jean began picking and choosing his ammunition.

While Jean went shopping for shells, Aisha and Suzuka were busy getting in some serious training with the other Outlast Legends.

"Here's the way the Phantom Warp Device works." Dawn Sword stated as Suzuka and Aisha clipped on the belts and put on a pair of transparent visors. "You're already aware that these'll make you invisible. The visors, however, nullify the effects and let you see anyone who's using a PWD, so hold onto them. It's smart technology, to a point. It can register certain thought patterns that modify the shield, like for instance if you want to walk through a wall. Unless there's a shield in place or if the wall happens to be made of a compound like Terranite, which is what our bases and cruisers are primarily made of, you should find yourself able to walk through walls. One limitation that was designed in quickly after the devices became standard for both the Dragons and Remnant was a code-lock on letting you float through floors. Before the code-lock was in place, we occasionally had units who would be ducking from enemy fire one minute, and halfway to the core of a planet the next."

"So can we jump through ceilings?" Aisha inquired.

"Yeah, most of the time. But you can't pass through people because of the unique complex sub-atomic electro-static properties of more sophisticated living beings." Backtrack stated.

Aisha gave him a blank look as if to say 'what language are you speaking?'.

"Simply put, you can't walk through people." Dawn Sword explained. "But the PWD also had a weaponry defense mechanism that identifies incoming attacks and lets them harmlessly pass through you, so long as the other weapon doesn't have residual energy on it from a PWD, making bullet shots and special techniques invisible to the rest of the world."

"So can we try all of this out?" Suzuka inquired.

"Be my guest."

Suzuka and Aisha spent several hours each day training against the Outcast Legends, and both came to be considered respected, if not somewhat unorthodox, figures. Jean spent some time in the combat simulators testing out different shells in VR combat scenarios, but Suzuka and Aisha did most of the training. Suzuka quickly grew to an understanding of the powers of each Outcast Legend team member. Backtrack, blind from birth, had learned to compensate for his handicap by use of 'seeing' time fields. Amazingly, this allowed him to, to a certain degree, foresee his opponent's actions a few moments before they actually happened, making him the quickest and most evasive fighter Suzuka had ever seen in her life. He also had one or two special techniques he'd developed, but he preferred to use his speed and power instead whenever possible. Reaper, carrying a scythe, had acquired a large range of different special techniques, but was best known for two specific ones that he'd named Cosmic Fury and Solar Darkness. NightShade had the special ability to drain energy from an opponent's secret techniques through the use of her signature attack, dubbed Conversion Strike. The more energy she absorbed, the more powerful her other secret technique, Blade Storm, could become when she used it. Firestorm, a person with a hot temper and a flare for battle, was known for her Scatterfire attack which sent out a swarm of blazing energy darts at whosoever was unfortunate enough to get in her way. Vapor, from who's powers the PWD was first developed, could warp the electronic bonds in her body so that very few kinds of attack could hurt her, most passing straight through without doing damage. When in this state she became unable to move and invisible, but her mind could deactivate the technique, which was called Phantom Vapor, whenever she wished.

And then there was Dawn Sword, Suzuka's brother. The two quickly found out that they shared many of the same special techniques, and Suzuka was even able to teach him to use Crimson. Dawn Sword was quick on his feet and a strong fighter, much like Suzuka. His more unique special attacks consisted of a technique called ArchBlade, and he also knew the Blade Storm attack and was better at using it than NightShade, even if hers had the potential to do far more damage. Dawn Sword also had one unique power, and that was his sword. At a thought, the blade could be surrounded in electricity like a double-edged lightning rod, and what's more is that the metal was so strong that it had never chipped, broken, or even dulled for as long as Dawn Sword could remember. Neither, for that matter, was the metal it was made of known; it was a mystery to all the Outcast Legends and one that Dawn Sword had tried tirelessly to solve. 

Suzuka did in fact remember the warrior her brother called Cameron being able to use intense electrical-based attacks, but the mysterious figure had barely even used his sword in that battle and had, in fact, grabbed Suzuka's sword and sent an electrical charge through it. Suzuka began to suspect that this Cameron person she'd fought hadn't really even been trying, and… as crazy as it sounded,… somehow orchestrated this entire chain of events that had now reunited Suzuka and her long-lost younger brother. He had gone by the alias Dawn Sword, which Suzuka's brother Collin also went under since becoming leader of the Outcast Legends. But how could anyone have known these things would happen as the result of just one battle long ago? The more Suzuka thought about it, the more 'Cameron' seemed to be behind her coming here.

Who was the mystery man who went by the names Cameron and Dawn Sword? And what was his secret?


	6. Way of the Outlaw

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Deception

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

Chapter 6- The Way of the Outlaw

Jean, Jim, and Melfina looked from the observation deck of the repair bay at the Outlaw Star, docked at an anti-grav platform within the base and now, for the first time in a week, free of Grappler Pods busily making modifications, installing weapons and advanced equipment, and pretty much doing surgery on it. NightShade stood nearby, likewise looking out the wall of windows at the crimson grappler ship. Bluestone, still untrusting and somewhat embittered, stood nearby with her back only halfway to the foursome.

"I have to give you people credit. As far as grappler ships, the Outlaw Star is a diamond in the ruff. We were able to upgrade the engines, maneuvering thrusters, armor, grappler accessories, sensors, lasers, and even install a ship-scale PWD driver without any complications." NightShade stated. "Although we did run into a little difficulty installing MUI-Quantum missile racks on the sides under the wing, but a little retrofitting of the missile tubes fixed that. Although you might find your engine room a good deal smaller now than before."

"All things considered, I think we can live with that." Jean stated, his thought being more like 'who cares?! We'll let Gilliam handle things in the engine room, I just wanna try out these upgrades!!' The look in his eye gave away the kid-with-a-new-toy mentality that he was doing his best to hide. Then he added, "I bet the McDougal brothers'll be drooling in envy if I ever get the chance to show off these upgrades."

"… Don't be to sure about that." Bluestone stated in a low voice, with her back still to the group. Jean looked over his shoulder at her with a 'what do you mean by saying that?' look.

"Bluestone, what do you mean?" NightShade inquired, with a tone that hinted at a clue what Bluestone was talking about, but wasn't entirely sure.

"… Not that it's any of your business, Starwind,… but last night I had a dream about a golden bullet killing your android friend Melfina." She turned to look at him. "But you can call it an overactive imagination if you want to."

"Whoa, hold on a sec." Jim exclaimed. "Are you saying you can see the future in dreams?"

"Yeah, just what **do** you mean by that?" Jean inquired, somewhat defensive.

The look in Melfina's eyes was one of barely restrained horror. Bluestone continued.

"I may not have the inherent special powers to make me part of the Outcast Legends, but I do believe in a power far beyond myself that can choose to send prophetic dreams, maybe as warnings of the future." She turned and began to walk slowly away. "If the gold bullet I saw represented the McDougal brothers' ship, the El Dorado as I remember, I can assume we'll be hearing from them soon enough, which implies several things of it's own. But there's no reason any of you need to listen to me; after all, maybe you think I'm just ranting and raving to-"

Jean suddenly darted in front of her and looked her square in the eye.

"I think you'd better explain yourself. What 'power far beyond yourself'? What are you talking about??"

She looked at him almost coldly for a second, then squared her shoulders and returned Jean's look of stubborn determination.

"If I were to tell you I know the answer to what the Galactic Leyline's been trying to figure out for eons, you'd think I was nuts. So for the time being I'd like it if you could just take my word for it, OK Jean Starwind?"

The look on Jean, Jim, and especially Melfina's faces was one of total and complete astonishment and utter paralyzing disbelief. Bluestone, taking her cue to leave, walked past Jean and continued down the hallway before rounding a corner and disappearing.

By the time DragonMage got to the docking bay, it was already too late. Entering the massive chamber, he could see the El Dorado through the force-fielded docking bay door, engines ablaze, quickly making it's escape. He frowned somewhat halfheartedly. Soldiers from all around the room were just now starting to pick themselves up off the ground, likely due to the tremendous power the El Dorado's engines had used to make their sudden escape. Suddenly, Cerpa was at DragonMage's side.

"Should I send out our forces to bring them back?" He inquired.

DragonMage smirked silently, then responded.

"A small number of auto mechs. Let them think they've made a clean getaway by escaping when we least expected. When they destroy the mechs, send out no further ships unless this fortress itself is attacked."

Cerpa's voice gave away surprise. DragonMage knew by now that his 'second-shadow friend' was adept at reading a person's thoughts through what they said or did.

"You wanted them to escape?" Cerpa was somewhat surprised by this unannounced strategy change. "For what purpose?"

"Cerpa, my friend, isn't it obvious? They would never have been of any use under my command to begin with. The thought that they could **persuade** Melfina to join our cause, leaving the protection of the Remnant and betraying her friends; what a ridiculous notion that would be!" He paused, then grew more serious. "No,… outlaws such as themselves would never conform to my plans. The technology I gave them was but a triviality compared to what will be gained. I admit, Cerpa, this was my plan all along."

"I see…" Cerpa thought for a second. "But I still don't understand why you'd let them go. Now they'll go straight to the Outcast Legends and warn them of our plans."

"Yes, of course they will. In fact, I'm counting on it. After all, the El Dorado is now my Trojan horse." He turned to Cerpa, who was now also quite amused by the whole situation. "Are the new phase-variance warp modulators ready?"

"Yes, and fully functional. Our ships will be invisible even to the Remnant forces." He paused and snickered. "The McDougal brothers should've listened to that old warning about Greeks bearing gifts. Now it's checkmate for the Outcast Legends."

"Losers." Ron McDougal scoffed to himself as the El Dorado quickly put more and more distance between itself and the Eclipse asteroid fortress. Harry, floating motionlessly in the aquatic guidance tube, also smirked slightly at the brilliance of their strategy. Ron continued his thought. "Once we get to that Remnant base DragonMage told us about, we're free-flyin' from there on out."

"I gotta say Ron," Harry said, voice projected through the cockpit's speaker system. "Making DragonMage believe we would help him and then stealing his technology is our best plan yet."

"Yeah," Ron smiled mischievously. "With all this new power, we'll be the most legendary grappler pilots ever." Suddenly, the console in front of him let out a series of beeps as little red dots appeared in the sensor map.

"23 auto-mechs just exited the base." Harry stated. "They're headed in our direction."

"So they did have a few of those things ready to launch." Ron scoffed, quickly assuming that to be all the forces DragonMage could muster due to the mining missions DragonMage had sent DragonMage had sent most of his auto-mech fleet on recently. Harry and Ron had planned things out carefully, using the 7 minute launch time for the Leviathan cruisers in-dock and the relatively few number of auto-mechs to their advantage. "Let's teach em' a lesson about messing with the McDougal brothers. A volley of scatter-blast missiles should deal with those puny robots."

Armor plating on the outside of the ship quickly slid aside to reveal rows of recently-installed missile racks. Before the auto-mechs could get within firing range, half a dozen missiles were already headed towards them. As each missile exploded, it also released three or four miniature missiles that had been stored inside the first one. Within five seconds, the auto mechs were utterly and completely annihilated.

"Ha! That's what happens when you play with the big boys, 'DragonMush'." Harry laughed as the El Dorado began to glow neon green, then vanished in a flash of light from the scene of battle.

"Have you told anyone else about this?" Dawn Sword inquired. He and Bluestone were in the briefing room, sitting on opposite sides of the table but directly across from each other. She nodded, a worried expression on her face.

"Jean, Jim, and Melfina." She paused, then sighed deeply. "I realize now I was just trying to show off that I resented their being here. I should never have used a prophetic dream like that."

"What do you mean?" He asked, compassion in his voice.

"… I guess I just sorta let it slip out when I heard Jean talking about the McDougal brothers." Her voice gave away that she was being harsh on herself. "I was disrespectful, rude, and uncaring to them. I'm sorry, sir; I shouldn't have talked to anyone else about this."

"I wouldn't go that far, but you're right, you should ease up on Jean and his crew some." He looked away for a second, deep in thought. "If you're positive about this dream, we'll need to take precautions just in case."

There was a long period of silence.

"Sir," Bluestone added, gathering her courage. "You promised to explain this entire Suzuka matter to me?"

He looked at her, then nodded.

"I'm sorry to put you through so much and make you wait so long." He paused, looked away, then looked directly into her eyes. "Suzuka is my sister."

Bluestone's eyes went wide instantly and her jaw dropped somewhat.

"Katrina," Dawn Sword said, referring to her by first name. "I want you to know I'm not angry with you for what's happened; in fact, I owe you my thanks for helping reunite me with my sister. And as for the other actions you took, don't worry to much. Almost anyone would have reacted in the way you did. I just didn't want this whole thing to create a rift between us." He then quickly added "I mean,… I don't want to be on bad terms with anyone under my command. OK?"

"That's… perfectly alright, sir." She stated with a gentle smile.

It was 1300 hours standard time, and the cafeterial facilities of the North Star defense base were bustling with activity as soldiers and personnel from all over the base flooded in for their lunch break. Almost nobody seemed to complain about the food, considering that many of the officers had, during times of emergencies, been forced to rely on the largely unpopular emergency rations for nutrition. Tables were filled in much the same way as one might see in a high school lunch room: different groups with similar interests or duties meeting together at prearranged tables, close friends gathering for conversation in-between bites and spoonfuls, and everyone else pretty much just sitting where there was room. Suzuka, having ordered a tray of fried noodles, rice, soup, and tea, decided to sit down at one of the still-empty tables, considering to herself that many people around the base still considered her an outsider and an oddity amongst them. There was no point making people uncomfortable when she could just as easily eat her meal in solitude. As she reached her table, she saw Jean, Jim, Aisha, and Melfina emerge from amongst the crowds and, not noticing her, group together at a table three rows away, which was fine by Suzuka. 

"Hey, is it alright if I join you?"

She turned her head to identify the voice. She was slightly surprised to find Bluestone standing behind her, holding a tray of mashed potatoes, french fries, a hamburger and drink. Suzuka found the no-longer-unfriendly expression on Bluestone's face to be somewhat perplexing, and wondered if Bluestone would try to embarrass her in some way through a false impression of friendship.

"I usually eat alone." Suzuka said plainly.

"Well, how about a little company?"

"Why?" Suzuka asked, slightly suspicious.

Bluestone sighed slightly, then walked to the other side of the table and put her tray down but didn't sit herself.

"Listen,… I'm sorry I gave you and your friends such a hard time. What I did was almost totally uncalled for. And I hope that maybe you can forgive me."

Suzuka could tell Bluestone was being honest in what she said. Almost reluctantly, Suzuka motioned for her to sit down.

"Is this sudden interest in a truce, per chance, because of something Dawn Sword said?" She inquired, then took a sip of her tea.

"Actually, yes."

"Then I take it you know?" Suzuka asked.

"Yeah. He told me the whole story. I owe you an apology."

"That's good enough for me." She paused for a second. "Tell me something. How is it that you were able to fight Hitiriga one on one? He is rather powerful."

"Maybe more than any of us know." Bluestone stated somewhat cryptically. "Well, I had the advantage of surprise, and I was able to hit him with a freeze missile shell, which did a good number on him, but he was able to break out of it with the aid of his cyborg enhancements."

"Cyborg enhancements?" Suzuka inquired.

"Yeah. Apparently whatever you did to him at the galactic leyline had a strong effect, because he's at least 70% technology now. The freeze missile shell pretty much just slowed him down, but when he burst out of it I accidentally hit him with a neuro-dart. I'm still not sure how exactly that effected him, but he looked like he was really distracted somehow, maybe trying to purge the dart's effects from his system. At any rate, I was running low on ammo not long after and had to take to hand-to-hand combat. Seems that he'd put an energy-resistant shield around his body, so most of my shells and bullets were doing zilch. And that's about when I ran into you."

"And he used my life as his means to make a getaway." Suzuka thought out loud. "No wonder you were so frustrated with me; you saved my life and all I wanted to do was force information out of you."

"Yeah, I wasn't exactly thrilled." Bluestone stated.

"At any rate, Hitiriga must have been pretty desperate to have had to resort to a tactic like that. Whatever effect that dart had on him must have been drastic."

Suddenly, Bluestone's communicator beeped. Dawn Sword's voice came over the comm unit's speakers.

"Bluestone, report to command deck ASAP. It looks like our 'golden bullet' has arrived. Over."

The expression on Bluestone's face was a combination of sudden shock and frantic action. She quickly jumped up from the table and headed for the door while responding "On my way, Dawn Sword. Over and out."

Suzuka wasn't too far behind her. Jean, seeing the two rush past crowds of people on their way out, quickly exchanged glances with Jim, Melfina, and Aisha, then all four rushed after them, leaving their lunches behind.

As soon as Suzuka entered the room, what Dawn Sword had meant by 'golden bullet' became clear. Displayed on the giant 30 foot vid-comm screen was the El Dorado. Dawn Sword, standing at a console on the second level of the command room, quickly looked up as Bluestone, Suzuka, Jean, Jim, Melfina, and Aisha entered. Jean was the first one to speak.

"The McDougal brothers!!" He exclaimed in surprise.

"What are they doing here?" Jim wondered out loud.

Bluestone quickly rushed up the ramp connecting the different command levels and joined at Dawn Sword's side.

"They just showed up on scanners." Dawn Sword explained. "They were using an advanced particle-modulation field when they dropped out of ether drive, so we can assume they've been in the company of some Dragons lately. So far they haven't charged up their weapons, but I've got Grappler Pods and Nova Cruisers on standby just in case." He looked directly at Dawn Sword. "Looks like your dream was on the mark."

"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Aisha demanded. "Blast them out of the stars!"

"We're getting a transmission from them now, sir." Backtrack stated, standing at a console on command level 3.

"Put it on screen." Dawn Sword instructed. Instantly, a vid-comm window opened, displaying the features of Ron McDougal.

"This is the captain of the El Dorado requesting-" He suddenly cut himself off as he spotted Jean glaring at him. "Well, if it isn't Starwind and company. Long time no see. I guess you guys escaped the galactic leyline after all."

"Yeah, no thanks to you." Aisha retorted.

"What do you want, McDougal?" Jean demanded.

"And where'd you get that advanced ether drive?" Dawn Sword added.

In the background, Harry smirked.

"We conned a guy named DragonMage out of it." Harry stated from within his transparent tube of liquid.

"We were hoping you could offer us some kind of sanctuary." Ron added. "Considering that he was trying to use us to get to the galactic leyline, and that we can probably help you all out, I'm hoping that harboring us for a while won't be a problem."

"And just why should we trust you?!" Jean exclaimed.

"OK, let me rephrase. Those Dragons are likely to be coming after us first chance they get. You people keep them from blasting us apart, and we'll let you in on some of their secrets. Deal?"

"… Give us a minute to talk this over, El Dorado." Dawn Sword said, then pressed a button and the vid-comm window vanished. He turned to Bluestone and the others. "Well, what do you think?"

"They're unquestionably untrustworthy." Suzuka stated. "First, they might only be pretending to have conned DragonMage; they might still be working for him right now. Secondly, assuming that they did con the Dragon forces, what's to keep them from trying to do the same to us."

"I say we give the Outlaw Star a test drive and give them both what's coming to them." Jean stated, cracking his knuckles.

"Forget that; we should just blast them from here." Aisha stated. "That way, Melfina's in no danger and we don't have to worry about this whole dream thing."

"… Unfortunately," Bluestone interjected. She looked over at Dawn Sword. "We're under obligation by the Remnant code of law. Fugitives from Dragon forces are to be protected until such time as the threat to them is null-in-void. I don't like it either, but we don't have much of a choice."

Dawn Sword looked at her blankly for a second, looked away, then down at the console. With the press of a button Ron McDougal was once again on the screen.

"So, I take it you've decided to help us?" He asked, slightly smug.

"Here's the deal, Mr. McDougal." Dawn Sword stated, making it clear by his tone that this was against his better judgement. "Our Grappler Pods will escort your ship to docking bay 3, from where you will be required to vacate your ship, at which point our engineers will make thorough examination of every component in the ship. You are to leave all weapons onboard and you will be escorted to our brig, where you'll await until inspection is complete and we can be certain your motives are exactly as you have stated. Failure to comply will result in retaliatory actions on the part of the Remnant forces. Are we clear, gentlemen?"

"So long as you don't hand us over to those Dragons, I'm willing to put up with rules and procedures." Ron stated, arms folded in a relaxed posture behind his head. "Alright then, it's agreed. We'll do as you say so long as you protect us from the Dragons. El Dorado, over and ou-"

"One more thing, El Dorado." Dawn Sword inserted quickly. "Due to recent events here at the base, it will be required of you that no contact with Melfina, remotely or directly, be made until otherwise stated. Understood?"

"What?! What the heck for??" Harry exclaimed.

"Will you comply, El Dorado?" Dawn Sword restated.

Harry gave an annoyed grunt, and Ron nodded.

"Good. I'll see you in docking bay 3, gentlemen." Dawn Sword stated politely, then closed the vid-comm window.

"I don't like it." Jean muttered to himself. "I don't like this one bit."


	7. Way of the Dragon

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Melfina

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic, if there are any.

OK, by now, I can officially say there are original characters. I'll put a list at the end of this chapter, marking this as the hopeful halfway-point of the Outcast Legends saga.

Chapter 7- The Way of the Dragon

Ron McDougal paced wordlessly from one end of the force-fielded security holding cell to the other, restlessness and frustration showing on his features. Harry sat on a nearby bench jutting out of the wall, flipping a small silver coin and catching it in mid-air, not bothering to check whether it had landed heads or tails. On the other side of the transparent, water-like, static blue force field, four guards stood armed and ready in case of emergency. Ron, finally losing patience, turned to the nearest guard.

"Just how long does it take to do a simple inspection, anyway? We've been in here an hour!"

"Sit down; your complaining won't make it go any faster, will it?" The guard stated.

Ron, taking a deep, agitated breath, sat down cross-legged on the floor.

"Can I ask just what they're looking for?" Harry suddenly spoke up, not taking his eyes off his coin flipping.

"Why do you wanna know?" Another guard asked.

"Because then maybe I can make an educated guess at how long all this will take." Harry replied monotonously.

"If it makes you feel any better," The first guard stated. "Last I heard they were running tests for explosives, computer viruses, bio-tech bombs, and spying devices. My superiors didn't tell me when they might be done."

"Probably about twenty more minutes if they're doing a thorough search." Harry concluded, coin still flipping.

But none of the searches being conducted could have picked up DragonMage's microscopic messengers of death. The large army of nanoprobes, hidden within the confines of the El Dorado's primary missile bay, were even now scattering invisibly across the station towards their different destinations. Each one, armed only with it's twenty skittering, pointed, spear-like legs, and the small amount of command coding it contained, would bring about the downfall of the North Star defense base. As spider-like nanoprobes rushed down hallways, through air vents and engineering tubes, and into consoles and computer systems, the fate of all aboard the station came closer and closer to an untimely demise.

"And so it begins." DragonMage mused with a laugh as he stood in the middle of a large transparent dome in the side of his asteroid fortress. Stars surrounded his vision as he looked about, contemplating how close he was to final victory. Soon, everything he saw would belong to him, and that which did not would quickly fall in line. The universe was to become his plaything, the cosmos his amusements, to spare or destroy as he willed. He laughed out loud, not holding back, as if declaring to all creation that he was now both master and god, and challenging it to try to oppose him.

"Lord DragonMage," Said a voice from behind him. "Your personal envoy to the leyline is ready to launch."

He turned to see Cerpa standing silently at a distance behind him. He smiled briefly, then addressed Cerpa directly.

"Is everything prepared?" He said, using a somewhat joking tone. "I'd hate to leave home and then realize I'd forgotten something."

"The trajectory information retrived from the El Dorado's navigation computer has been processed into the auto-nav systems for your command ship. Although the shield kept them from getting any sensor readings until they entered the leyline, we were able to compute out the course they took based on thrust and geo-spacial records kept by the navigation computer. Once Melfina is in our hands, nothing will stop us."

"Quite true, Cerpa, quite true. Gather the members of the elite guard and have them on board the ship when I get there. How long until the North Star defense base meets it's demise?"

"In less than an hour and a half, all the nanoprobes will be in place. After that, it'll only be minutes before they take effect. Your plan is, as ever, ingenious, lord DragonMage."

A little over an hour later…

Jean kept a continual cautious eye on the McDougal brothers from where he sat in the briefing room. Ron McDougal, irritatingly enough, had chosen a seat directly across from Jean, and Harry sat on his brother's right. Dawn Sword and the members of the Outcast Legends were seated at various positions around the table, but Dawn Sword himself preferred to stand. Suzuka sat on Jean's immediate left, Aisha on his right. Even though such an assembled group was far more than a match for the McDougals lest they should try anything, Jean had decided long ago to trust the McDougals only as far as he could throw them. He continually had one hand poised inches from his Caster, and it wasn't long before Ron McDougal noticed.

"Do you mind?" He inquired, nodding towards Jean's right hand. His tone was a combination of dislike and distrust.

"I've learned not to take chances around the two of you." Jean replied, hand still poised and ready.

"At any rate," Dawn Sword interrupted, turning his attention on Ron McDougal. "We've checked your ship over and found everything to be acceptable. The two of you, as refugees from the Dragon forces, can stay here until such time as it's safe for you to return to your normal lives. However, there's a few points I need to bring up."

"Such as?" Harry inquired.

"Firstly, the new technology on your ship. Considering it as much as I could from your perspective, I've decided we'll let you keep the upgrades so long as the technology is not distributed, sold, or reproduced for any reason. Understood?"

"Fine by me." Ron stated calmly.

"Secondly, as refugees, it will be required that, whenever you travel outside of the living quarters that will be assigned for you, that you be accompanied by at least one of our officers. In case you couldn't tell, we take our jobs very seriously here." He paused and, getting no retort from the McDougals, continued. "And thirdly, neither of you at any time for any reason will be allowed to be within visual range of Melfina so long as you stay here. Understood?"

"Yeah, but why?" Harry protested, obviously hurt at the thought of being so close to Melfina but not even being allowed to see her.

"… Do you believe in prophetic dreams, gentlemen?" Bluestone, who was standing towards one corner of the room, asked. Like Jean, she constantly had her right hand ready to draw out either her Striker, the Remnant version of a Caster, or neuro-dart gun at any moment. Ron and Harry both turned in their seats to give her a perplexed look.

"Just what are you talking about??" Harry asked, confused.

Dawn Sword and Bluestone quickly the McDougals in on the dream and how it seemed to be coming true.

"That's ridiculous! Absurd!" Ron exclaimed as the two Remnant warriors finished their explanation. "Firstly, I don't buy a word of any of that fortune telling swami stuff. The only things I believe in are myself, Harry, the El Dorado and my Caster."

"And secondly neither of us have any desire to hurt Melfina." Harry pleaded. "Myself especially."

"But it's come true so far, hasn't it?" Reaper stated.

"But we will not hurt Melfina." Ron returned with a forceful tone.

"I personally hope that the dream was just a warning," Vapor added. "But we can't ignore the potential ramifications. That's why we had to search your ship and keep you in the brig."

"That's true. So you understand why we-"

Suddenly, the lights began to flicker. Everyone instantly locked their attention on the ceiling lights with stunned surprised expressions on their face. Dawn Sword's comm unit beeped.

"Commander Dawn Sword, this is Jake Duran up on command deck. It seems we're experiencing erratic power fluctuations all across the grid. The comm systems have been down for the last three minutes, so I wasn't able to contact you. Engineering doesn't know what to make of it, sir, and there seem to be multiple encrypted viruses running amok in the central command nodes."

"When did all this start?" Dawn Sword said, an alarmed tone in his voice.

"Just minutes ago. At first I thought it was just a simple glitch in the new plasma conduit control systems, but then it spread to the sensor array, holographic generator systems; about the only things not hit are communications, Grappler Pod launch systems, and the quantum-warp reactor core." Suddenly, there was a long moment of silence as the lights continued to flicker randomly, then suddenly returned to normal without apparent reason. Jake Duran's voice, nearly panic-stricken, suddenly came back over the comm unit. "Sir, whatever's going on has just converged on the atmospheric control generators, all of them. Temperatures are dropping drastically on decks 5, 7, 11 through 14, and… wait, now all the decks between 3 and 21 are being effected." There was a brief pause in which Jake's gasp of terror could be heard. "Sir, the oxygen output from all generators has ceased. Backup systems aren't responding. Additionally, . . . sir, we're receiving a communication from the Dragon forces, source of transmission unknown but local."

"I'm on my way up." Dawn Sword said with an air of military forced calm. "Duran, do whatever you need to get those generators back on-line, now! Get everyone from engineering working on this." He switched off his communicator and turned to look at the Outcast Legends. "There's no questioning that DragonMage constructed this scheme. Everyone who can, get down to engineering and help. Jean, find Melfina. The rest of you, find some way to help turn whatever's happening around before it kills us all."

With that, everyone made an immediate dash for the door, dispersing in different directions down the hallways. Harry, Ron, and Suzuka, however, came up alongside Dawn Sword as he raced down the halls towards command deck.

"What the heck is goin' on??!" Ron exclaimed.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, we can bet DragonMage is behind it." Dawn Sword stated. "He must have somehow used the El Dorado to transfer a smart-virus to the base computer systems somehow, at least it's the only thing that makes sense to me."

"But that's impossible-!" Harry exclaimed, but Dawn Sword cut him off.

"DragonMage is never to be underestimated. He must have planned on the two of you making an escape with your stolen technology." He stated, then muttered to himself. "This is bad, very bad."

"He's after Melfina, I'm sure of it." Suzuka interjected. "He's cutting off the oxygen and environmental controls to the base so everyone here except Melfina and a few others will be dead. Then he can take Melfina and use her to unlock the leyline."

The command deck was nearly empty by the time Dawn Sword and company arrived. Jake Duran was still manning his console on the second level up, but besides him the room was void of life. The crystals in the ceiling had gone black, the systems they controlled probably overridden by the 'virus' too. Dawn Sword, ignoring the ramps, jumped high into the air and landed next to Jake Duran.

"What's the latest?" He asked, scanning the console with his eyes briefly.

"The generators are remaining completely inoperable. We've lost control of external and internal force fields, as well as all primary weapons systems. Secondary weapons could go any minute. All the ships in dock have been effected too."

"Put me on the line with the Dragons." Dawn Sword instructed, and moments later a vid-comm window popped open in center screen. DragonMage's face was the only thing visible on the vid-comm.

"Greeting, my worthy but crippled foes." DragonMage gloated with a laugh in his voice.

"DragonMage, I presume." Suzuka stated. DragonMage quickly turned his attention on her.

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal assassin." DragonMage mused, then turned his attention back to Dawn Sword. "Yes, my old rival, I'm the one responsible for the present condition of your base. I also have a small fleet of ships utilizing new, more advanced PWD fields who are ready to attack only a few dozen miles outside the confines of your base. You have no choice; your hands are tied. You will give into my demands right now or you will surely perish."

"Why you two-timing, low down, son of a-" Ron began, but DragonMage cut him off.

"There's no need of such language, McDougal. And if I recall correctly it was you and your brother who first betrayed us. An eye for an eye as I always say."

"Get to the point, DragonMage." Dawn Sword interjected aggressively.

"Oh, I intend to take my sweet time, Dawn Sword." DragonMage laughed. "For you see, it won't be more than an hour before there isn't an iota of air anywhere aboard your precious battle station. I rather enjoy watching you squirm under the power of my intelligence." He sighed mockingly. "But I suppose negotiations _would_ be rather pointless once you're dead." He became very serious. "I want you to surrender the android Melfina to me immediately."

"Why should we?" Dawn Sword challenged.

"Because you don't have a choice, old foe. You know very well that I crave not just the power that the leyline will give me, but the final, greatest battle, the singular conflict that will bring this age-old war to it's climactic conclusion. Why would I wish to deprive myself of finishing what I've begun, of ending the bittersweet struggle between you and I by killing you in such a pointless, dull, meaningless manner? Surrender the android to me and I shall deactivate the devastation I have wrought upon your base. Or, if you prefer to resist fate, I will simply wait you out and once all the air on the station is gone my forces will move in and collect Melfina for me. You'll never figure out my method in time to stop your own unquestionable death, so you might as well give in and focus yourself on the final battle, Dawn Sword."

There was a long moment of silence, in which no one moved, and hardly no one breathed.

"… You'll pay for this, you snake." Dawn Sword stated, his tone of voice stating that he had no choice but to do as DragonMage said.

"You have no idea, Dawn Sword. You have no idea." With that, the vid-comm blinked out. Dawn Sword turned to Jake, who appeared to be sweating profusely. 

"Duran, you said that Grappler Pod launch was still operational, didn't you?" He asked, causing Jake to instantly refocus on the console.

"Yeah. It seems whatever DragonMage is doing to us is designed to only effect certain systems." He suddenly paused as his console beeped. "Sir, we've got a Grappler Pod launch on deck 19. Whoever activated it seems to have overridden standard lock-down procedures through the use of a fractal interception code."

"Melfina!!" Harry exclaimed, and in a rush of movement he was suddenly at the console. He quickly looked at Duran with a serious 'do as I tell you or you'll die' look. "Open a vid-comm channel, now!"

"But-"

"Just do it!!!" Harry said, aggression showing in his voice.

The vid-comm window appeared, Melfina's serene face floating in the center. Her hair, no longer held by the constraints of gravity, floated weightlessly above her shoulders.

"Melfina! Please, don't do this!!" Harry begged and pleaded.

"Harry, … I'm sorry, but I have to. I can't let all of you die. And…" She let her thought stop there, but Harry could tell by the tone in her voice that she was hiding something.

"What? What is it Melfina? Please, tell me!"

She was silent for a long moment, arms crossed over her chest in the same way as when she was in the tube on the Outlaw Star. When she did answer, there were gentle tears in her voice.

"Harry… the leyline… it's dying. I have to go, even if it means surrendering myself to them. I'm so sorry . . ." Her voice trailed off.

A tear ran down Harry's cheek.

"…I love you, Melfina." He said, voice low and hoarse with emotion.

"I know, Harry. Thank you… for everything."

With that, the vid-comm window flashed out of existence. Harry, leaning against the railing for support, suddenly just kneeled on the ground and wept in despair.

Moments later, the environmental systems came back on-line.

"Nanoprobes." Firestorm stated. The Outcast Legends, Bluestone, the McDougal brothers, and the remaining members of Jean's crew were all gathered in central engineering. Firestorm held in one hand a small glass vial. "We estimate over 6000 of them, their entering point being the missile bay of the El Dorado. There's over a hundred in this vial alone." She said, holding it up for everyone to see. A small cluster of what looked like black sand, probably not even the total size of a marble, sat on the bottom of the glass instrument. Firestorm continued. "Each one was designed with a separate set of computer instructions, like parts of a virus. It only took minutes for the virus parts to find each other and begin their reign of terror on our climate control and life support systems. So far, we've been able to extract at least 4000, but some of them are so deep into our hardware removing them will be like picking out individual grains of sand. For the moment, however, they appear to be deactivated."

"… This is all starting to make the dream come together." Bluestone spoke up suddenly. "Only Melfina isn't dead yet."

"If that DragonMage hurts her,…" Jean fumed, cracking his knuckles.

"He won't have the chance." Harry interjected. "Because I'm going to kill him first."

"OK, let's deal with the present in the present." Dawn Sword advised, then turned to look at Vapor. "Were we able to find out anything about the Dragon advancements of the PWD devices?"

"When one of the Leviathan cruisers opened it's docking bay for Melfina's Grappler Pod, we were able to get a short readout on the residual energy. From what I can tell, it shouldn't be too difficult for us to adjust our PWD devices to the same frequency."

"Get everyone on it ASAP. The ships are the primary responsibility, but also prepare twelve personal PWDs immediately. And get both the Outlaw Star and the El Dorado loaded onto one of our Nova cruisers STAT." He looked away. "If it's a final battle DragonMage wants, let's not keep him waiting. Suzuka, Jean, Jim, and Aisha; you four and the McDougal brothers are coming with the Outcast Legends and I. We're gonna end this war, once and for all."

"Sir, with all due respect," Bluestone interjected. "… I'd like to come along as well."

Dawn Sword looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"Vapor, make that thirteen personal PWDs. As soon as modifications are done with all the Nova cruisers, we're going to the leyline. Tell the cruiser commanders to have engineering teams modify the Grappler Pods en route." He turned towards Ron McDougal. "Listen, we're gonna need a way in there. If you two have flight data from your trip to the leyline, we can feed it into the auto nav systems on the cruiser. That's our ticket in."

"You mean you know what happened to the leyline?" Ron inquired.

"Got moved to a remote location in the Durramus-Pylon sector. That's where we're headed." Dawn Sword stated. "Since the Outlaw Star is inoperable and the El Dorado may be target to sabotage if some of those nanoprobes are still crawling around, we're gonna have to take one of the smaller S-class cruisers in." He turned to NightShade. "NightShade, show Ronald McDougal where the Striker shells are kept. I want everyone as battle-ready as possible, because this is zero hour and it's all or nothing."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DA' LIST

The characters that I own:

Dawn Sword AKA Collin Jeran

NightShade

Reaper

Backtrack

Vapor

Firestorm

Katrina Bluestone

DragonMage

The stuff I don't own:

Jean, Jim, Melfina, Suzuka, Harry McDougal, Ron McDougal, Gilliam, Aisha, the Outlaw Star, the El Dorado, Hazanka, the galactic leyline, Hitiriga (Cerpa), the Kai Pirates are all owned by the Outlaw Star TV anime, which I think should have been expanded by several more seasons and tons more episodes. Any OLS fan will agree with me.

The character Cameron is property of Eternal Studios. Go to [www.eternalstudios.com][1] to see a REALLY good pic of him!

   [1]: http://www.eternalstudios.com/



	8. Armageddon's Birth

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Ultimate Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 8: Armageddon's Birth

It simply floated there in the middle of the Celaris nebula, like a giant inverted black hole. As Melfina stood there, shackles on her wrists and feet, looking at the galactic leyline through the main screen of the Dragon flagship Desolator, she could feel it even more than before. The weakness. The desperation.

The hopelessness. The leyline was dying.

Cerpa stood directly behind her, his tall dark frame shadowed beneath a long black cloak which he now wore. DragonMage, stading in the very center of the command room, looked at the leyline like a hungry predator about to catch his prey. DragonMage's elite warriors, 'The Six', stood or operated consoles at various points of the room. On DragonMage's immediate right stood a bizarre, other worldly figure half-cloaked in constant strange neon blue and black flames. Operating the navigation console was another odd warrior wearing a short white robe that reflected slightly in a mirror-like way. She had deep red eyes and short blue hair with an extremely pale complexion. At the engineering console was a similarly strange girl with a black jumpsuit carrying a long rod made of diamond-like crystal, bearing Blue eyes and long red hair and a striking similarity to the woman in the short reflective robe. Standing in one corner was a warrior covered from head to foot in crimson armor, a long broadsword strapped over his back. His eyes were hidden beneath a black rectangular visor attached to his helmet. The final odd character was, like Hitiriga, hidden beneath a black cloak and stood in the far left corner, opposite the swordsman.

But Melfina paid almost no attention to those around her. Her soft, gentle eyes were glued on the leyline with purpose and courage.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" DragonMage asked, turning around to look Melfina in the eye. "Like a giant egg waiting to hatch incredible powers upon those intelligent enough to gain access. And soon, that power will be mine, and you my dear android, are going to help me make it all come true."

Turning her attention from the image on the screen, she looked at DragonMage with a strange assured determination in her eyes.

"Jean will stop you." She said plainly, then looked back towards the screen.

"Jean? By that you mean that pitiful outlaw with the Caster?" He laughed. "You really don't have a clue, do you android. The Dragon forces **created** the Caster guns, and the models that have seeped out into common use are pitifully underadvanced. Besides which, no simple **gun** can stop me."

"That's not what she means, my lord." Cerpa stated calmly.

DragonMage raised one eyebrow.

"She has confidence in Jean Starwind because the two of them together managed to kill Hazanka, even after he had achieved superior power, by channeling the sheer energy of the leyline into their ship. I should know; I watched it happen."

DragonMage seemed to consider this statement for a moment, then smirked in utter defiance.

"Melfina, you poor little thing. Can't you realize yet? Such a maneuver may have worked against Hazanka, however not only am I ten times the warrior Hazanka was, but when I get through with the leyline it will have no power remaining for you common fools."

Melfina's eyes went wide as she looked at DragonMage.

"Yes, it's true." DragonMage stated, turning his back to her with a wide sweep of his cape. "I intend to take every last ounce of power from the leyline and channel it into myself, in effect rendering the leyline as nothing more than a high-tech space rock. It's only logical, otherwise someone else may at a later time use the leyline's great powers against me once the leyline is strong again, making themselves even more powerful than me. I simply can't let that happen. And when I'm through with the galactic leyline, I'll discard of it and begin absorbing all the great energy sources of the universe. My power will grow until at last I achieve what no one else has ever! I … shall… become… a god! And there's nothing your pitiful Jean or those Outcast Legends can do to stop me, so you may as well surrender to your fate."

"No! Don't you realize what you're doing?! You'll kill it!" Melfina exclaimed.

"I do realize what I'm doing. Once I reach my predestined power level, there will be no more need for the galactic leyline to exist." He turned to the figure at the nav console. "Mirage, open a channel to the fleet. Tell them to hold positions just outside of the leyline. Then set our entry course and engage the automatic piloting computer. My hour is at last at hand."

Meanwhile, aboard the Remnant cruiser Veritas…

"Engage launch procedures." Dawn Sword instructed, quickly sitting into the captain's chair. The command center of the cruiser Veritas, often having been the strike ship of choice for the Outcast Legends, was mostly metallic silver with black and gold trim in various places. It was big enough to walk around in; Suzuka guessed it to be at least 25 feet horizontal and 30 feet in depth. NightShade and Backtrack quickly engaged themselves at the weapons and navigation consoles, positioned against the wall on either side of the room, and Vapor took to the engineering systems console which was positioned near the back wall. Firestorm and Reaper, having separated from the group, had gone down to engineering, accompanied by Jim and Harry. Jean, Ron, and Suzuka quickly found positions for themselves in the command room, Suzuka standing in front of the console on Dawn Sword's immediate right, Jean in the upper right corner, and Ron in the upper left corner. The distrust between the two Caster-wielders was obvious and unspoken, but so was a mutual agreement to work together for the moment. Bluestone, after checking in with launch command via her comm unit, came up on Dawn Sword's immediate left, taking her position at the console.

"Systems check." Dawn Sword requested.

"Tactical systems on-line and functioning." Suzuka stated.

"Long range sensors read all green." Bluestone said, fingers racing over the console's many buttons.

"Navigation systems ready." Backtrack stated, not taking his eyes off the console.

"All missile bays read loaded, and primary and secondary flash cannons are fully energized."

"Vapor to engineering. You guys ready down there?" Vapor inquired via comm unit.

"Firestorm here, and we're golden when you guys are. All systems read green, and my assistants seem pretty capable."

"OK, then." Dawn Sword said, readjusting himself in his seat. "Bluestone, inform launch command that we are ready to leave dry dock, then take us out with engines at half nominal thrust."

"Yes sir." She said, opening a comm channel. "This is Veritas to launch command. We are ready to leave dry dock. Over."

"Roger that, Veritas." Came the nondescript voice from the comm systems. "You are clear to launch. Good luck; we're all praying for you."

"We appreciate it, launch command. Veritas out." Dawn Sword said, then turned to Backtrack. "OK, let's get this mission underway."

"Hey, aren't we gonna wait for the rest of the fleet?" Aisha inquired, entering the room. Jean gave her a 'what took you so long?' look. "Sorry, but I had trouble finding the bathrooms. At any rate, I'm ready to help so just tell me where you want me."

"Don't worry Aisha, we're OK as is." Dawn Sword stated. "The reason we're going ahead of the fleet is, despite what DragonMage said to us, I don't want to give him a nanosecond more than can be avoided or he might go ahead with his plans for the leyline. The Veritas is the fastest ship in the fleet, so we should be able to get to the leyline in time."

"Well then what are we waiting for?! Let's kick in the engines and go kick his butt!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's do it." Dawn Sword smiled a little at Aisha's enthusiasm, then turned towards Backtrack. "Engines at half impulse until we're safely past dry dock. Then set a course for the Celaris nebula and engage ether drive."

DragonMage looked at the surreal environment all around him as he stepped briskly out of the ship. For as far ahead as he could see, strange sunset-colored crystals dotted the landscape. The ground below him had the appearance of dry dark mud, but was as solid as metal beneath his feet. The sky, if you could call it that, was like a sparkling bronze dome over the entire surface of the leyline. It was almost like being in a giant living crystalline computer chip. DragonMage turned to see Cerpa push Melfina ahead of him as the two exited the ship only a few feet behind DragonMage, and The Six weren't far behind.

"Cerpa, you shall accompany me to the inner leyline. Bring the android. The rest of you, lie in wait wherever you wish. Do your worst to the Outcast Legends and their new allies. When you have destroyed some of them, regroup at the door to the inner leyline. Hold off the remaining warriors there, but let Dawn Sword and Suzuka through. Dawn Sword is mine to kill, and Suzuka is Cerpa's claimed victim. This must become the great and glorious battle of Armageddon, and I'm counting on each of you to do your parts."

"We will not fail, great lord DragonMage."

"I have trust in you about that. Now, go and prepare for the battle. Make it one the universe will not soon forget."

Melfina, the whole time, simply stood there, hands bound and held by Cerpa, looking down at the ground with a defeated expression on her face. Was there any hope left? She didn't know. All she knew was that eons of critical research and discovery would die if the leyline died before it could complete it's purpose. Now, realizing that she was at DragonMage's complete mercy and would be forced to help him kill the leyline, brought invisible tears into her heart.

'If there's a God out there, somewhere,' Her heart cried out. 'Please,… help me…'

A lone streak of invisible white light shot through the cosmos with blinding speed, invisible to any human or other creature that may chance to glance upon it. At the epicenter, the corona of that blaze of light, a single human-like figure guided the intense speed given him in the direction of a far-distant location. His hair was the color of chestnut, his eyes a blazing inferno of pupil-less white energy. The muscular figure wore intense blue body armor that seemed to contour to his being, everything from his neck down cloaked in the metallic fabric-like material. Living electricity coursed through his entire being as he directed all his powers towards achieving his destination.

In the desolate darkness of outer space, perhaps he was a beacon of hope. With the leyline growing nearer and nearer each second, the figure focused himself for the battle ahead.

As the Veritas came out of ether drive, it was quickly discovered that a massive fleet of Dragon ships had been put into position around the prized leyline. Dawn Sword almost did a double take when the fleets of enemy ships appeared on screen.

"NightShade, we need all countermeasure systems engaged, now! Backtrack, think you can pilot us through that fleet and into the leyline?"

Backtrack almost seemed to smirk.

"Well, I'm up for the challenge."

"Good. Dawn Sword to engineering. We just caught sight of an enemy fleet between us and the leyline. I need all ablative armor panels energized STAT!"

"Armor energy level at 100 percent and holding." Jim's voice came through over the comm system. "Don't worry, we've gotcha covered."

"Nice work, kid. OK, NightShade! Fire at will! Aim for their engines; that should even the odds a little."

"Ionic warheads locked and loaded. EMP charge cannon aimed at the nearest ship in our flight path. Firing." She said, then with the touch of a button the ship let loose a massive beam of electrical energy into the midst of the enemy fleet. The charge spread throughout it's destructive range, disabling two Leviathan cruisers in it's wake. As armor plates slid away to reveal rows of missiles, NightShade began letting loose the full arsenal of the Veritas, sending swarms of high-yield ionic missiles into action against the enemy. The Dragons quickly began returning fire, but between NightShade's lock-on countermeasures and Backtrack's evasive maneuvers, the ship was able to punch it's way into the midst of the enemy fleet with only a handful of damages. As missiles, lasers, energized bullets, and countermeasures flooded the stretch of not-so-open space between the Veritas and the leyline, things got worse. The Dragon cruisers began unleashing swarms of auto-mechs as well as devastating plasma missiles. Countermeasures started quickly running out, and the damage was piling up.

"We can't take much more of this!" Vapor called from the engineering console. "We've got a hull breach on decks 4, 6, and seven. At this rate, if they hit our engines, we're done for!"

"Hang tight!!" Backtrack shouted over the roaring sounds of missiles impacting the hull. "We're almost through!!"

"Go for it it, Backtrack! Get us through to that leyline, now!" Dawn Sword instructed, his voice showing that this situation had him slightly panicked.

"Ten more Leviathan cruisers coming out of ether-space." Bluestone stated as her fingers raced across the controls. "Looks like they've got reinforcements en-route."

"Then it's now or never." Dawn Sword stated. "Suzuka, how much power can we get to the engines if we reroute power from all the weapons systems except countermeasures?"

"If we do that, we might have the option of overcharging the engines enough to double our speed, but it'll cost us the engines, and we won't be able to navigate our way to the leyline."

"Start working on giving us a straight-line flight path to the leyline; we'll need it in less than a minute and a half. Dawn Sword to engineering. We're gonna try to turbo the engines by rerouting power from the non-defensive weapons systems. Work it and torque it so we can get everything we can out of the engines at a moment's notice."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Vapor inquired.

"It's our only chance, so make it happen."

"Trajectory modifications complete." Suzuka stated. "I'm feeding it to Backtrack's console now."

"Trajectory received." Backtrack stated as he steered the Veritas out of the line of a plasma torpedo.

"Engine modifications complete." This time it was Harry's voice that came over the intercom.

"We'll give you a spot in the engineer's hall of fame if we survive, Harry." Dawn Sword said, knowing in the back of his mind that those modifications should have taken well over five minutes for any normal humanoid. He turned to Backtrack. "It's now or never. Let's do it!"

"Engaging engine modifications now! Output at115% and rising!" Bluestone stated.

The Veritas, engines glowing with the power of harnessed supernovas, shot like a bullet through the swarms of Leviathan cruisers, leaving the mass of space combat easily behind in the wake of it's intensifying speed and power. Streaking a long trail of hot white energy behind it, Veritas and it's all-important passengers plummeted at fierce speeds straight into the depths of the galactic leyline's defense cloud. Once inside, somewhere between the roar of the engines, ear-shattering shriek of the black cloud dome, and when life support systems suddenly gave out, the entire ship fell prey to unconsciousness.

Nevertheless, like a faithful martyr that knew both the importance of it's final mission and that this was it's chance to make a difference, the Veritas continued unshakably on it's collision course with a destiny far greater than itself. Cutting through the storm of black clouds like a glowing white beacon of hope, Veritas blazed through the perpetual night with inspired determination unmatched even by most humanoids. . .


	9. Ley it on the Line

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Ley it on the Line

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 9:Tribulations

As Suzuka felt consciousness returning, she groaned and slowly opened her eyes. The command room of the Veritas now seemed to have rolled onto one side, and she quickly came to the realization that what had once been the left wall was now the floor. Jean, Dawn Sword, Bluestone, Nightshade, Backtrack, and Ron McDougal all lay on the ground nearby, unconscious. Aisha was the only one presently up and about, attempting it seemed to crawl up the floor towards the main doorway in an attempt to get out. Slowly getting to her feet and retrieving her sword, Suzuka made her way over to where Dawn Sword lay and gently shook him awake.

"…S…Suzuka?" He said as he began to become aware of the world around him. "Ugh, my head… what happened?" He said, rubbing a bump on the back of his head.

"If I don't miss my guess, I think we've reached the leyline." She said, then looked around. "Collin, you wake up the others. I'll try to get to engineering and-"

Suddenly, to Aisha's surprise, the main doors to the command room burst open from the other side. Harry, carrying Jim over one shoulder and with Firestorm and Reaper right behind him, had kicked open the door, nearly causing Aisha to loose her footing in surprise.

"Hey! What's the big idea busting in here and scaring me half to death!?" Aisha exclaimed as Harry, Reaper, and Firestorm leapt down from the now-open doorway onto the left wall/floor.

"Is everyone in here OK?" Harry inquired, scanning the piles of slowly-waking-up bodies.

"What happened to him?" Dawn Sword asked, gesturing to Jim.

"He hit his head during the crash, I guess." Firestorm stated. "A minor concussion and a few abrasions, but overall he'll be fine."

Harry put Jim down on the floor, where the door had fallen, then turned to Dawn Sword.

"We'd better figure out a way out of this tin can if we want to catch up to DragonMage and Melfina."

With his six top warriors scattered about the leyline, lying in wait, the trip to the door to the central leyline had been both quiet and uneventful. The leyline was strangely silent, either because of it's lack of strength, or simply because it chose to be. DragonMage, arriving at a dead-end, quickly looked about in perplexed confusion.

"… I could have sworn this was the way into the leyline core." He muttered to himself, then recited " 'Through the shadow, any path, open the door, the leyline at last.' Where is the door?"

"You'll never find it." Melfina said boldly. "The leyline will never let you in, because it knows you're here to destroy it."

"Oh really?" Cerpa inquired.

"And just how would it know that, android?" DragonMage inquired, slightly angry.

"… Because I told it so." Was Melfina's response. "When I'm this close to the leyline, the maiden and I are able to speak to each other through our minds. Your plan was a failure from the beginning."

DragonMage's anger seemed to boil like lava, his face turning deep red as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Melfina just looked at him with her calm, somewhat sad, but nonetheless confidant eyes. Just one look into her eyes was enough to send his anger peaking, and he backhanded her across the face. He was about to strike again, but stopped himself in mid-motion, as if remembering something. A drop of blood fell from Melfina's lip as she looked up at him, her thoughts tear-stained and showing in her eyes.

"You poor, lonely fool. I can see it in your eyes. You're showing off a lot of confidence but behind that guise you're nothing more than a frightened, scared little girl, even if you are an android. I can't stop you from telling the maiden of the leyline my plans, but I can use you to make the leyline cooperate." DragonMage stated, a smirk of evil intent on his face. He nodded at Cerpa and the black-cloaked warrior reached into the folds of the cloak and pulled out a strange golden metal object. It looked like a giant gauntlet, bearing long claw-like points on the end of each finger. "Behold, the rarest of the artifacts from the Grave of the Dragon. It's called the Dragon's Claw, and not without good reasons. It is the only surviving piece of the dragon armor that was once forged here, at the leyline, by the demon overlord Balerra. At least, it's the only piece that still exists in the physical realm; but the spiritual counterparts are still very much existent." He said, sliding his hand into the golden gauntlet. He flexed his fingers inside the large piece of armor, then looked at Melfina once more with the look of a savage predator. "Do you like it? It's incredibly rare; you should be quite impressed. Aren't you the least bit interested in how I came into possession of such a tool?"

Melfina was silent, but the expression in her eyes gave away fearful curiosity.

"It's quite simple, really. This singular artifact has been sought after by Dragon forces ever since it's existence was theorized. Even had my predecessors somehow gotten it, they would never have been able to use it. The power was not in him. You see, I was not always this powerful, Melfina, but a pilgrimage to the Grave of the Dragon changed all that. There is, in fact, a great secret behind that grave, in fact a paradox. Unlike other graves, there is nothing dead buried there. In fact, the great dragon is still very much alive, even if it is only a spiritual entity. The site could more accurately be called the Gate of the Dragon, because it was there, after a week of meditation and incantations, that I finally met the great dragon." He clenched his fingers within the gauntlet. "Abaddon, the great dragon, the great destroyer, gave me power beyond my wildest dreams. What the Kai pirates tap into through their spells and gestures, I have direct access to! The power of death itself courses through my veins like a living flame of intense heat, always willing to obey my commands so as to serve the Dark One through me. I am the dragon's emissary to this world, and I shall bring about his eternal kingdom in this universe by becoming the perfect vessel for him to inhabit, with perfect ever-increasing powers that will bring this universe at last to order and authority." He turned to Melfina. "And the Dragon's Claw is the perfect tool to teach a disrespectful leyline who's in charge."

"W-w-what are you going to do with it?!" Melfina trembled as DragonMage began to approach her.

"You said it yourself that you and the maiden are linked. Now I'll begin disciplining the leyline through you until it submits!" He stated, then in one fluent movement locked the gauntlet around Melfina's face. Her screams reverberated across the entire leyline as black electricity originating in the Dragon's Claw caused her entire body to convulse in withering pain as the evil energy preformed it's function.

And instantly, it was as if the entire leyline was screaming in pain as well.

"What in the world?!!" Aisha exclaimed as he and the others heard the ear-shattering sound. It was like a million thunderclaps mere seconds apart from each other. Now that they were out in the open of the leyline, with Jim left behind to recover, the group had just barely started on their trek to the leyline when the hellish sound reached everyone's ears. The sound was distant, but unquestionably powerful. Aisha had to cover her ears to block the sound out.

"T-there's incredible distortions in all the time fields on the leyline!" Backtrack said, hardly believing what he was 'seeing'. He pointed off in one direction. "It's coming from over there!"

Just as suddenly as the cosmic scream came, it died out, rendering the entire leyline in chilling, barren silence. Jean was the first to speak.

"That was Melfina… DragonMage is doing something to her, I can feel it!" He exclaimed. "We've got to find her or he might kill her!"

_"No, he won't kill her."_

Everyone instantly spun to see the origin of the voice. Jean and Harry both did a double take. There, like a holographic projection right behind the group, was a strange red-cast figure with butterfly wings, a figure who distinctly resembled Melfina.

"… Melfina?!" Jean and Harry exclaimed at the same time.

_"No, I'm sorry. I'm not Melfina, not entirely."_ The surreal figure stated. _"I am the maiden of the leyline."_

"What's happening to Melfina, and the leyline?" Harry exclaimed. "Is she alright?"

__

"… DragonMage is using the Dragon's Claw to force me to cooperate with him. Melfina is hurt but will survive,… I hope. Please, all of you, both Melfina and I will die unless you can help us."

"So you're the … personality of the galactic leyline?" Suzuka inquired.

_"Yes. In essence, I am the leyline. But there is little time for explainations."_

"Why is the leyline dying?" Ron asked. "What's wrong with it."

The maiden seemed to pause for a moment, then closed her eyes and continued to speak.

_"There is much that you will need to know, but not enough time to tell it. Instead, I'll create a neural link with all of your minds so you can know what you must without losing time…_

When I was first activated, I had an expansive storehouse of knowledge and understanding of everything in the known universe. Those who created me were scientists of a race that called themselves Telarians, a race distinctly similar to humans. I was made of the most advanced technology and integrated with programming to keep my technology advancing long after the Telarian scientists left. This was all in my memory at the moment of my birth. So was my purpose, but I did not readily understand.

Time passed far too quickly. Telarians visited me less and less often, their political system condemning me as a waste because I was a project that would never see completion in any of the founders' lifetimes. Still, they would not destroy me, but left me to myself and told me to wander the cold and bleak universe until I understood my purpose and could therefore answer their greatest questions. The Telarian race soon became extinct when advanced weapons technology caused their entire galaxy to cease to exist. I was sad and longed to see my old friends, the scientists, my mothers and fathers, once again. Because I was capable of advancing my own technology, over the course of a mere 300 years I was able to create ion-synthesis devices, primitive at first, then increasingly more advanced until I could at last create as many Telarians as I wanted.

But it was not enough. They were like robots, following the codes and instructions I had put into them. Even incorporating random factors into their programming did not help. They did not have souls. I quickly learned that, although I was capable of transferring life and thought and personality from one being to another, I could not cause those things exist on my own. A long time passed and I realized that the Telarians were in fact humans from the future who had sent themselves into the past to attempt to answer the questions of existence, the same questions which I myself wondered over. Why did life exist? What was the difference between merely existing, and being living, being sentient? How had the universe come into being? I traveled through time, into the past and future, observed the cultures of each race I came across from as far back in time as I could go and then travel as far forwards as I could to see what would become of them, and although I learned many great secrets and advanced my technology further and further,… still there were no answers. I had come to understand my purpose, therefore sacrificing my child-like longing for my creators in search of a truth I could not begin to grasp.

Then I found earth, and studied it for a long time. Earth became a mystery to me, because when I was studying it, I could travel farther back in time than before, and further forwards,… but something was preventing me from studying all time periods of earth. This time blocking, I assumed, was somehow being caused by something even more powerful than myself, which was in some way guarding earth's mysteries from me. I eventually called this theoretical being 'Entity' and left earth, hoping to advance myself enough to track Entity and begin to understand it.

Then I met Balerra. He was a being of incredible powers even beyond mine. I could tell immediately there was a strangeness to him, because he was unlike any being I had ever observed. He told me he was a spirit, and that we could work together to understand the universe's mysteries. He told me that he had served Entity, but Entity had turned against him and others when Dragon, Balerra's new master, had wanted to advance itself and become like Entity. Immediately there was a sense in me that Entity was somehow an unfair, jealous being, and I sympathized with Balerra and Dragon, not yet knowing anything of their lies. I created a sort of tribute to Dragon within myself, and afterwards Balerra and I would always meet in that place. I told him that I wanted to meet Dragon, and understand Dragon and it's ways. He told me that was impossible, because Dragon was such a high level of spiritual being that it was inconceivable for Dragon to manifest himself in the way Balerra did, and I gradually accepted the notion that Balerra was my liaison to Dragon.

Then Balerra asked me to create the Dragon Armor, based on the spiritual manifest armor that Balerra himself sometimes wore; to create a physical shell that Balerra could use to stay in the physical realm for longer periods of time. Considering him to be my only friend, I acted out of compassion and friendship and made the armor exactly as he requested. I did not know then that he would try to use the armor to control me. His power, using the armor, was far greater than he had ever revealed to me, and nearly took control of all of my systems before I even became aware of his scheme. I instantly tried to destroy the armor, but Balerra used his power to protect it from my attempts. Then, in a last moment of hope, I used all my remaining power to send the armor into the core of a nearby star. I thought I had effectively destroyed it. Now I see I was wrong.

I kept the tribute to Dragon intact, for the sole purpose as to remind myself to never create anything more powerful than myself again. I also copied the tribute onto a location on another planet, nearby the star, to remind myself of my first any only battle with death. It became known as the Grave of the Dragon. There I put also the technology that would later create Melfina and restructured my systems accordingly, so that no one would be able to gain access to my inner sanctum without significantly more effort. But my entire encounter with Balerra proved to bring to me the question: what is death? And for that matter, what is life, and was I actually alive? I knew I had a consciousness, but I consisted mostly of data and knowledge. I wanted to learn emotion, so that maybe I could learn life and death.

That's when I went and found the children. A horrible war had killed them one and all, and it brought back memories of when the Telarian people had destroyed themselves. I copied their memories into my knowledge and instantly invented an experiment. I could sense that their souls were still there, which baffled me because when most intelligent beings die their souls are no longer present. I decided to bring them back to life as children, raise them and care for them like a mother, hoping to learn emotions through the process. The children grew and became strong. It was a wonderful time of learning and, at last, of feeling. I eventually concluded that I must somehow have a soul, because not having one seemed impossible now that I was beginning to have emotions. I taught them, but not all that I knew. I gave to them, but not everything that they wanted; only what they needed and what would truly make them happy. I began to plant crystals across my surface and, like flowers, they would grow, much to the children's delight. I experimented with different kinds of light, causing the children to always be in wonder as to the colors the crystals could produce. To teach them to respect life, which was also a lesson for me, I made soil and planted seeds, and gave some of the children the responsibility of growing them, which was always to their mutual delight and mine.

But then something changed. The children began to remember their conflicts, their war. At first, I wanted to simply just erase the memories, but I held back. I wanted to see what would happen, but I also would not allow my children to be hurt, even by each other. It all happened far too quickly. I asked them to stop, but eventually they began to ignore me in their hatred and resentment of each other. Still, I held back, but eventually I could hold back no longer. As soon as the first blood was shed, I sent them away. I created the sub-leylines, separate from myself, and programmed them to care for the children. Eventually, though, I can see that some of my children were not willing to choose peace, and took on the hideous identity of Dragons, much to my dismay. My tribute, meant to remind me to be careful, had spawned those who would seek to ally with Dragon itself, even against me. I must conclude that the dreams were Dragon's doing, somehow, or that maybe Balerra or others like him were responsible. Now, the fruits of my labor and mistakes have come back on me in my darkest hour.

When Hazanka came, I was aware that some of the powers Balerra had also flowed through him. But I also saw that there were those who would oppose Hazanka. And I began to wonder why my children had chosen violence, and what the end result would have been had I not intervened. And so I began another experiment, unaware of what it would cost me. That's when I met Melfina, who had been made from the technology of the Grave of the Dragon. Hazanka, having accessed the Grave, knew the information he needed to get past the Dragon's Tribute, into my inner sanctuary. He knew Melfina to be the key to reaching me, and I linked my mind with hers to better understand what he wanted. She was scared, frightened, … she was alive. That proved to me that I had a soul, and that somehow she and I were linked. I played along with Hazanka but, not wanting anyone to die, helped Melfina to destroy him after reviving her and Jean Starwind. I could not let Hazanka live, because he had powers like Balerra and I could not risk him attempting to do what Balerra did. After it was over, I left the place I had been to go consider the results of my experiment, leaving Hitiriga's body, nearly dead, to float in open space. He too had powers like Balerra, and I knew also that he was one of my children's children who had chosen to serve Dragon.

I did not realize quickly enough that my experiment had cost me far too much power. In both granting Hazanka's wish, reviving Jean and Melfina, and then giving Melfina the power needed to destroy Hazanka, I had critically drained myself. Since this had never happened to me, I was unsure what to do. Apparently, Dragon was also aware of this, because against all logic my energy continued to fade instead of recharging itself. I have sat here, ever since, trying desperately to contact Melfina before it became too late.

I must not die before I fulfill my purpose. It is essential that I survive until at last enough data can be gathered to make a final conclusion on the meaning of life and existence, as well as the identity, meaning, and purpose of Entity and Dragon.

That is why you must stop DragonMage. If he gets to my inner sanctuary and uses the Dragon's Claw to control my core and fulfill his desire, . . . all will be lost, forever.


	10. Destiny Under Siege (Retitled)

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Destiny Under Siege

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 10: The Battle Begins

In the blink of an eye, they all understood. For a long moment, there was total silence, nearly everyone's mouth simply hanging open as their minds began to digest what they had learned in the twinkling of a moment. The maiden, like a holographic projection, still stood there, but her expression was urgent.

_"Please, you are my last hope. I don't know if there's anything any of you can do to stop the energy draining away, but I do know this for certain: if DragonMage succeeds, not only will eons of vital research be destroyed possibly forever, but the universe itself may well hang in the balance. Please, … will you help me survive?"_

There was a long period of silence,… then Dawn Sword spoke up.

"Gladly." Was the only word he said, but it spoke volumes of words unsaid.

_"Thank you."_ The maiden said, smiling weakly. _"I'm sorry I can't help, but if I don't try to conserve my energy, I might not make it anyway. I'll go with you in this form, but I probably won't be able to help as more than a guide."_

"Way I see it, that's better than nothin'." Reaper stated. He then turned in the direction Backtrack had pointed when the leyline had 'screamed'. "Is that where Melfina is?"

_"Yes. DragonMage has her captive, and Hitiriga is with him. The other members of his crew are scattered throughout the leyline, but I can't be sure where."_

"DragonMage said he wanted this to be the last great battle. He's probably hoping to narrow down the odds to just me and him so that way he can get the thrill of finishing what he started when he tried to kill me." Dawn Sword said, then turned and looked at the rest of the group. "If we play by his rules, we'll never make it out of this alive. We stick together and fight as a team, ok?"

"So long as Starwind and company don't get in my way, I'm fine with that." Ron stated, loading his Caster.

"Hey, you just better try not to get in my way, McDougal." Jean countered with an angry glare.

"Where do **you** think you get off taking to my brother like that, Starwind?" Harry challenged.

"Considering he killed my father, I have every right!" Jean shouted angrily.

"Are you trying to start something?" Harry returned.

"You're the ones who started everything!" Jean rebuffed loudly. "**You** killed my father, **you** tried to take Melfina, and if you hadn't showed up none of this would have happened!!"

"Oh yeah!" Harry gave Jean a shove.

"Yeah!!" Jean shoved back.

_"Stop it!"_ There was instant silence as the maiden stepped in-between the struggle. She looked first at Jean, then at Harry. _"Melfina would not want you fighting like this! Don't you know it breaks her heart when she sees the two of you acting like this?!"_ There was a pause. _"You both need to step away from all of this, put the past behind, and learn to let Melfina make her own choices. I know from her memories that she would truly never feel love at all than to constantly have the two of you fighting over her like this. If you cannot learn to co-exist, I honestly believe she would rather not choose either of you."_ She stated with tears in her eyes, then turned and looked away.

Harry and Jean looked at each other for a long minute. Then Jean diverted his gaze to Ron, who had been watching the situation from a slight distance.

"… I can never forgive you for killing my father,…" He said, looking at Harry. "But for Melfina's sake, let's forget about our differences until she's safe. Agreed?"

"… I can respect that." Harry said with a gentle nod.

"Yeah, let's get this show on the road." Ron stated, holstering the Caster. "We've wasted enough time as is, and there's no point squabbling when DragonMage and his goons are out there waiting for us."

"Good, I'm glad to see you've all come to a truce." Dawn Sword started. "I agree; let's get moving before we waste any more time."

With the hologram which had hid the doorway now gone, due to the Dragon Claw's power of persuasion, DragonMage felt an excited chill crawl up his spine. He quickly turned to Cerpa, who still was keeping one hand on Melfina's restraints.

"You can release her now. She won't be going anywhere unless we want her to."

Cerpa quickly released the manacles around Melfina's arms, and they dropped to the ground with a thud.

"Now be a good little android and unlock the doorway. It won't open unless you're, shall we say, installed."

Melfina was still for a long moment, then suddenly attempted to make a run for it. Cerpa remained completely still, watching her try to escape, but DragonMage wasn't in the mood for games. He clenched his fist within the Dragon's Claw and instantly a transparent black-energy orb surrounded Melfina, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Must I remind you again and again of my power, android? Is there something wrong with your memory chips, or are you **trying** to annoy me? If you will not cooperate, I'll put you in the door myself."

Using the hellish gauntlet, DragonMage lifted the entire black bubble, along with Melfina, several into the air, then made it float over to where the doorway stood, then dropped Melfina like a coin into the slot. The living-metal of the door closed around her, binding her hands into place above her head and her feet together below her. She looked almost crucified into place, and tears ran down her eyes as she realized DragonMage was slowly gaining control of the leyline through her, starting with this doorway.

"It was foolish to run." Cerpa stated calmly. "The Dragon's Claw is in control of you now, so resistance is utterly futile."

"Please…" She begged. "Don't do this…"

"Stop whimpering; it'll do you no good." He paused for a minute, like an actor trying to remember his lines. "Engage password 'It was you who broke my mason plate'."

With that, the doorway and Melfina slid backwards, quickly enveloped by the darkness that lay just beyond the now-open doorway.

"At last. Soon I shall fulfill my destiny…" DragonMage smirked.

Suddenly, a figure materialized nearby. It was the blue-flame warrior from the ship.

"My lord DragonMage," The figure stated. "Just as you suspected, the Outcast Legends are all on their way here, traveling as a group for mutual defense."

"Good. Dawn Sword is reacting exactly as I anticipated he would." He paused for a moment. "Now that I have access to the Dragon's Tribute, I'll use some of the leyline's power to scatter them across the leyline. It will be the job of you and your warriors to engage them in single combat and eliminate them one by one as soon as you find them. Tell the others that if they are overwhelmed that they are to make all attempts to gather here and wait to pick off all the survivors except Dawn Sword and Suzuka."

"Your will be done, DragonMage." Was Archon's response as he bowed low.

"Good. Now go and do as I have said."

It happened in the blink of an eye. One moment, the group was racing together towards the leyline, then with a flash of light everyone except Dawn Sword, Suzuka, and the maiden were gone. Vanished. Disappeared.

"What the-!" Dawn Sword exclaimed, skidding to a stop. Suzuka wasn't far behind him.

"DragonMage has tapped into the matter transferal systems in the Dragon's Tribute." The maiden exclaimed, worriedly. "He has scattered the others to various points across the leyline."

"Blast it!" Suzuka exclaimed. "Is there no lengths to which he won't go?"

"DragonMage's ideals of 'the final battle' incorporate his own twisted form of chivalry; he's trying to even down the odds so we eventually face him and his generals one on one, to prove how superior the Dragon forces are." He paused. "But now we really don't have a choice except to play it his way."

"Where am I?" Reaper wondered out loud. The leyline path all around him was full of giant golden crystals, and there was no sign of the rest of the group. He grunted in frustration. "This has got to be DragonMage's doing."

"True, old friend, very true…"

He instantly spun in the direction of the voice, and was just barely able to dodge as a thin sphere of energy shot straight at him. Getting back to his feet, he easily located the enemy that had attacked him. Archon, hovering a good foot or so off the ground, almost seemed to smirk at him in defiance, though nothing of his facial features could be seen beyond the mass of blue flames which constantly surrounded his body.

"So, we meet again, Archon. Still up to your old tricks of sneaking up on people, I see."

"And still the same headstrong confidence, I see." Archon scoffed. "I've said it before and I'll say it again; your confidence will become your downfall."

"Enough talk, then. Let's get this started."

"You haven't changed much at all, Carnage." Nightshade stated, sword ready. A good dozen or so feet away stood Carnage, DragonMage's knight in shadow armor.

"Neither have you, Nightshade. But appearances can be deceiving, as you well know."

Carnage slowly sunk into a battle position, sword pointed at Nightshade. Black energy, like electricity, coursed through his armor as he tightened his grip of the handle of his blade.

"I've been rather anxiously awaiting a chance to face you again in single combat." Carnage stated confidently. "Considering our previous battles, I know you will not disappoint me, Nightshade."

"On the contrary, I think you'll soon find yourself quite overwhelmed."

She faded into view against the copper-color sky like some kind of phantasm, an unreal figure floating several dozen feet in the air. Harry and Backtrack looked up at the mirror-robed figure and got ready to fight as she slowly descended to the ground, landing with feather-like perfection.

"Well hello, Backtrack. A pleasure to see you again." She laughed rather unthreateningly, in fact somewhat girlish. "Who's your cute friend?"

"Who is this wierdo?" Harry whispered.

"That's Mirage, DragonMage's expert in illusions. You'd better stand back and let me handle this." Backtrack stated, tensing for battle.

"Boys, boys!" She teased as suddenly instead of only a single Mirage, there were now three. The three figures spoke at the exact same time. "There's enough of me to go around. And as I'm sure you've noticed, Backtrack, I've modified my holograms so they have time fields identical to my own."

"Great, just what I didn't wanna hear." Backtrack muttered.

Firestorm never even saw the blast coming. As the energy bolt slammed her into the ground face-first, she quickly became aware of a figure materializing on the ground now far in front of her. As she tried to stand up, a kick in the face sent her flying onto her back, dust kicking up around her where she landed.

"I hope you'd have learned your lesson by now, Firestorm." Siren challenged, black robe blown gently by an invisible wind. "You might as well surrender; you can't possibly defeat me."

With a single swift movement, Firestorm tucked into a handstand, pushed off with her hands into the air, and landed several feet away. She wiped a trickle of blood from her lip, then got into a battle position.

"I never surrender, witch. I hope you'd have learned that by now."

"Always a drama queen, Firestorm." Siren mocked, her long crystal rod held loosely in her left hand. "Well, it's time I extinguished you once and for all."

"Go ahead and try."

"Greetings, gentlemen. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Trick."

Jean and Ron, Casters ready and loaded, watched as the strange black-cloaked figure with the clown-like voice stood there, almost seeming to silently laugh at them. With a single motion, Trick threw off the cloak, revealing his true form. His skin, a unreal neon blue, seemed almost completely transparent. He wore a two color jumpsuit, one half black and one half white. Attached to his forearm bracers were a pair of long, sharp, straight, ninja-like blades. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses, and he had no hair whatsoever. Jean couldn't help but get the creeps just from looking at him/it.

"What the heck kinda freak are you supposed to be?" Ron scoffed.

"That's my little secret, gents. Suffice to say I'm one of the **trickiest** opponents you'll ever meet."

"Yeah, well, here's a trick for you." Jean scoffed, leveling his Caster. "Play dead!"

"Hey, where are we?" Aisha wondered out loud. "Where'd everybody else go?"

"This has got to be because of DragonMage." Bluestone stated, looking around. "That flash must have been a teleport. We're separated from the others."

"So what do we do now?" Aisha asked innocently.

Bluestone thought about it for a second, holding her chin in her hands.

"If I know Dawn Sword, he's gonna try to get to the entrance to the inner leyline as fast as he can. We should just follow the path until we meet up with him."

"Assuming DragonMage doesn't find us first." Aisha huffed. "I knew when I got up this morning that this was gonna be the worst day of my life."

"What are you worried about? You're a Ktarl-Ktarl; you've got more natural inbred fighting power than almost and other humanoid." She said, checking her supply of Striker shells. "I'm the one who should be worried. All I've got are these shells."

"Well, are we gonna just stand here all day feeling sorry that we're lost? Let's go!"

Dawn Sword and Suzuka raced down the long and wide paths of the leyline at top speeds, each having their sword continually ready in hand. The maiden followed close behind them, hovering weightlessly just above the ground. They knew their mission. They knew time was running out.

They knew that the fate of nearly every living being now rested heavy on their shoulders, fear reminding them every moment of just how mortal, just how frail their own lives were, and how easily a single misplaced action could spell the end. Brother and sister both felt the cold sweat on their foreheads and felt the strange blurring of reality, almost as if this was a horrible, endless nightmare.

They knew that courage means you're the only one who knows you're scared to death.


	11. Slow Motion Apocalypse

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Reign of the Dragon

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 10: Slow Motion Apocalypse

The fate of the universe hung in the balance, as it had before. And as before, the galactic leyline was the epicenter. As before, an emissary of evil had entered the leyline, having taken Melfina captive. As before, a group of unlikely heroes were the only hope.

But unlike before, the very life of the galactic leyline was in danger as well. And unlike before, the leyline had no way to help them fight the evil. All this ran through Suzuka's mind as she and her brother Collin 'Dawn Sword' Jeran raced down the long barren paths of the leyline, accompanied by a physical manifestation of the maiden of the leyline. Beads of sweat clung to Suzuka's forehead as she and Dawn Sword rushed as fast as they could towards the glowing mountain-like peak where the dying light of the leyline's energy was now only barely visible.

The last time Suzuka had come here, it had been for revenge. A revenge that turned out to be unfulfilled. But now, her purpose was the mutual survival of all living things. The emotional weight of the situation weighed down heavy on her thoughts, and for the first time in a long time she could feel terror crawling out from the back of her mind.

But she knew she had to go on, even if only for the primitive reason of making the fear go away. Yet each step seemed to bring a renewed sense of nightmare that she couldn't shake off.

She could see it in her brother's eyes as well. They were both scared; not scared of dying, but scared of failing. Scared to know that their actions could drastically alter the future history of all existence eternally. But they both knew they had to go on, and fight for sheer survival.

They had no other choice.

Archon's primary weapon was the lethal, supernatural blue flames that enveloped and protected his human body at will. And he was making good use of it. As Reaper dodged wave after wave of fiery death, Archon's determination to destroy simply grew stronger.

Back flipping high into the air to avoid a massive blast of flames, slashed his scythe downwards while still in mid-air, sending out a razor-thin beam of hot-white energy. Archon was forced to dodge, and as soon as he landed Reaper took full advantage of the moment by unleashing his Cosmic Fury technique. As sparkles of light, like a million tiny stars, began to emanate from his fists, he gripped his scythe tightly and dashed straight at Archon. Archon, in response, hit him dead-on with a massive pillar of fire, but the energy of Cosmic Fury deflected the assault like a bullet through the attack of a flame thrower. By the time Archon realized this, though, Reaper had his glowing white scythe raised to strike. Archon dodged at the last second, Reaper managing to score a clean hit on the villain's left leg despite. A series of flips from Archon brought the two to a moment of standstill, each glaring at each other from across the battlefield.

"You ready to give up?" Reaper challenged.

"Me, give up now? Don't be ridiculous. We've barely gotten started." Archon said, suddenly turning up his flame. "Now let's really turn up the heat!"

With a single motion, Archon sent out a blast of flames so incredibly massive it could best be described as a tidal wave. Reaper had nowhere to dodge to, and was forced to wait out the blaze within the protection of the now-fading Cosmic Fury bubble. Suddenly emerging from amidst the searing flames, a flaming punch from Archon sent Reaper tumbling backwards, now utterly defenseless as the firestorm consumed him with it's unrelenting fury.

Archon, slowly hovering higher above the ground, looked down on the situation. And smirked.

"You lacked the fire, old friend. I'm almost sad to see it end like this. Then again, no I'm not. I told you you'd never beat me."

Swords met in a flash of lightning-fast strikes as Nightshade and Carnage dueled it out with survival intensity. It wasn't hard to see that both were extremely advanced warriors, but it also wasn't hard to tell that only one would walk away from this battle alive. Using the full strength of her Blade Storm attack, Nightshade was able to become a living blur of nearly unstoppable speed. Unstoppable to everyone except Carnage, apparently, who was matching her Blade Storm with his own. Their swords deadlocked for just a minute, the two struggling with all their strength to gain the upper edge and force the other onto their back.

"I see you've been practicing." Carnage stated, grunting and straining in his effort to keep up his side of the combat.

"As have you, I see." Nightshade responded, similarly struggling to hold her ground. Then she suddenly smirked. "But unlike you, I've been working on a few new secret techniques!"

Back flipping out of the deadlock, she tossed her sword into the ground so that it jutted up handle-first. While still in mid-air, she aimed both hands at Carnage as neon green energy pulsed through her body. Carnage wasn't even fully able to register what was going on before he suddenly found himself enveloped by a massive beam of energy so strong it instantly crushed his body to the ground. As the blast faded, Nightshade landed on the ground next to her sword and quickly drew it back out of the ground and into a battle position.

"I call it Supernova Storm. You like?" Nightshade said smugly as Carnage struggled to pick himself up off the ground.

"… Yes, I can see now that you have become far more powerful. I must give you credit on your skills." Carnage stated, then his sword suddenly flashed with energy as he slashed it at her. The energy continued to grow in size every nanosecond until it at last filled Nightshade's view.

This was a last-ditch strategy she'd been expecting. Pointing her sword straight at the energy only seconds before it would hit, she shouted the two words that spelled defeat for Carnage.

"Conversion Strike!!"

As her sword suddenly took on the appearance of a harnessed black hole, all the energy from Carnage's attack began to flow straight into it. Nightshade's body was quickly surrounded by a growing white glow that was telltale of her now-increasing strength. With the conversion strike completed and her sword returned to normal appearance, she took aim and dashed forward at Carnage, once again using Blade Storm to enhance her speed and power.

With a single clean swipe, Carnage instantly knew it was over. Almost at the exact moment Nightshade skidded to a stop, he dropped to his knees and then flopped onto his face, thoroughly dead.

Harry, making full use of his speed, dashed into the air and aimed a spinning jump kick at Mirage, only to find out a nanosecond too late that his target really was a mirage. As Mirage and her holograms, indistinguishable from one another, shuffled positions like some kind of roulette, Harry and Backtrack were left to stand there, gritting their teeth and unable to figure out which was the real thing.

"What's the matter, boys?" Mirage teased, speaking simultaneously with the holograms. "Aren't you enjoying my little game, hm?"

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a wide streak of blue energy slammed the real Mirage from the back, causing the holograms to disappear instantly. The energy slammed Mirage into the ground face-first, and the recoil hit causing a painful sounding gasp.

"You two need some help?" Vapor asked, appearing on the top of a nearby cliff edge. She had her gliave ready in one hand and the other held her Striker, still smoking slightly from the blast.

"Vapor! Oh man, am I ever glad to see you." Backtrack stated, wiping the sweat off his forehead. The battle so far had been long and drawn-out, but at last it looked like there was a happy ending in sight. Vapor front-flipped off of her vantage point and landed on the ground nearby, weapons ready. Mirage, picking herself up off the ground, spat in disgust.

"… You may have saved their puny lives for the moment, Vapor," Mirage stated, putting particular hateful emphasis on Vapor's name. "But let me assure you this is far from over. And now to make my getaway!"

Suddenly, a blinding flash lit the entire area. When it faded, Mirage was gone, or so it seemed. Vapor, using the wrist controls for her visor, already had a lock on Mirage's trajectory.

"Listen; I'll go after her. The two of you, head for the entrance to the inner leyline. Once I deal with Mirage, I'll join up with you. OK?"

"Just don't go getting yourself killed out there, Vapor." Backtrack advised. "Remember, you're not _completely_ invincible."

"You worry too much, Backtrack." She laughed playfully. "Mirage is nothing but holograms and hot air. Her parlor tricks may have saved her this time, but she can't run forever."

"Just be careful, OK?" Backtrack emphasized.

Vapor nodded understandingly, then turned and dashed out of sight down a fork in the path.

Caster shells of all different types tore up the landscape as Ron and Jean tried without success to shoot down the evasive Trick. Ron cussed under his breath as Trick teleported, in the blink of an eye, out of the way of yet another plasma-yield shell, evading every single attack with such complete invincibility that it was seriously staring to get on Jean and Ron's nerves.

"Shoot all you want; you'll never catch me!" Trick taunted as he teleported behind Jean and smashed him with a two-fisted punch to the face. As soon as Jean was on the ground, however, Ron had a shell loaded and ready. The blast came and, for once, Trick didn't dodge. He did, however, somehow 'catch' the shot in an energy field he zapped into existence between his hands. Ron gasped in surprise as the clown-like Trick smirked at him evilly.

"I believe this belongs to you, correct? Here, you can have it back!" The freak-clown laughed as he hurtled the ball of energy, including the Caster shell, straight at Ron.

The blast tore a large hole straight through his chest, sending blood splattering as internal organs were literally melted by the energy. Trick, watching the dying expression on Ron's face as he stood there and then collapsed to the ground, could only let out another volley of impish laughs.

Suddenly, Trick realized his fatal mistake as he felt Jean's hand clamp around his leg and pull it out from under him. The freakish warrior hit the ground, then was vaporized as Jean shot him point-blank with a trans-phasic bullet, never even giving the hellish joker the chance to realize what had happened. Jean, sweating profusely, quickly turned to Ron, who now lay on the ground sprawled out in pain. Hesitating for just a second, Jean rushed over and squatted at Ron's side as the outlaw tried desperately just to breathe, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"… I'm not gonna lie to you, McDougal. I don't think you're gonna pull through this one." Jean stated morbidly, examining the large gaping hole with his eyes.

Jean could visibly tell that Ron was fighting hard just to get the strength to reply. For long moments, he was unable to do anything. Then, with the last of his strength, he mouthed:

'Harry'

With that, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and the Caster fell from his hand.

Jean stood there for several long moments, thinking, considering. Before him lay the shattered body of what he had always thought was his greatest enemy, the man he assumed to have killed his father. Seeing him now, though, sent all thoughts of hatred straight out of his mind. Had he ever really wanted this? All those times he had sworn he would avenge his father; would this be what it would have been like if he had?

Standing to his feet, Jean looked down at the lifeless form, and promised himself to fulfill Ron McDougal's dying wish.

Taking Ron's Caster shells with him but otherwise leaving the body undisturbed, Jean Starwind walked slowly away, in search of Harry McDougal, leaving Ron's body and the only remains of Trick, his clothes, where they were.

'I guess that old saying has a point.' Jean thought to himself. ' "Let the dead bury the dead". Sorry, Ron, but I've got to get to the inner leyline and stop DragonMage.'

Siren seemed to be thoroughly enjoying beating the snot out of Firestorm. As punch after merciless punch found it's mark, Firestorm grunted in pain, her body pinned between Siren's attacks and the wall of the leyline path. Siren, on the other hand, seemed to be thrilled that she had Firestorm right where she wanted her, and continued to beat her senseless.

"This one's for the battle on Unich 5!"

Another punch found it's mark.

"This one's for our orbital base in sector 12!"

That blow knocked the wind straight out of Firestorm, but Siren wasn't done yet.

"And this one's just because I hate your guts!"

A blow to the face sent Firestorm to the ground, and it was followed by a swift kick to the stomach that sent Firestorm reeling in pain.

Suddenly, a figure materialized nearby. Siren turned to see her twin sister, Mirage, land gently on the ground several feet away. Siren quickly took notice that Mirage's face appeared to have been bruised somehow.

"What is it, Mirage? Can't you see I'm busy here?"

"Backtrack and that brat Harry have reinforcements. They're headed towards the leyline's core now, along with Vapor."

"Then I suppose I'd better finish you off." Siren stated, glaring down at Firestorm. A sphere of black energy began to grow in her hand. "It's time to say goodbye, Firestorm. I'm going to miss always defeating you, but then again by now it's gotten kinda dull anyway."

"FREEZE SCUM!"

Both sisters turned towards the voice just in time to suddenly have their entire bodies locked into a huge glacier of ice. Vapor, abandoning her hiding place behind a nearby crystal, rushed up to her fallen twin sister and quickly helped Firestorm to her feet.

"Are you OK?" Vapor asked as Firestorm caught her second wind.

"Yeah," She managed to say in-between forceful breaths. "Just a little beat up."

"C'mon, let's get outta here before they break free." Vapor said, and the two rushed as fast as they could away from the scene of battle. Once they were safely out of sight of Mirage and Siren, Vapor added "It's a good thing they didn't expect I'd pull the same trick twice, huh?"

"You mean you used a sneak attack on Mirage, too?" Firestorm asked, now able to speak much easier.

"Yeah, but it's a story that can wait for later. I'm just glad you're OK."

"That makes two of us, sis."


	12. Death's Paradox

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Final Great Battle

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 12: Death's Paradox

Upon turning the corner of the path, Dawn Sword, Suzuka, and the maiden froze in mid-step. There, right before their very eyes, was DragonMage and his black-cloaked companion, standing in front of the open entrance to the Dragon's Tribute. Dawn Sword and Suzuka tensed in preparation for battle, swords ready, as DragonMage scoffed at them both.

"You're late, you know." DragonMage stated coldly but with an odd humor in his eyes. "I was expecting you to get here some time ago, but better late than never, I suppose."

"Stand back and let us handle this." Dawn Sword instructed to the maiden.

"I'll return to the core, and meet you on the other side." The maiden stated, then slowly faded out of existence until she was completely gone.

"Where's Melfina?" Suzuka demanded of DragonMage.

"Right where she should be: integrated momentarily into the superstructure of the galactic leyline." He paused. "Aren't you the least bit curious how I did it?"

"We know all about the Armor of the Dragon, DragonMage, and what you intend to do with it." Dawn Sword challenged.

"Then you should also realize that it would be unfair of me to use the Dragon's Claw to fight you." He smirked. "But since I can't run the risk of you destroying it while my back's turned, I guess I just don't have a choice, do I?"

"Looks like we both have special weapons, then." Dawn Sword stated, pointing his sword at DragonMage.

"… Whatever, Dawn Sword. After all, there is no single greater weapon in the known universe than the Armor of the Dragon, and even just the Dragon's Claw has easily enough power to destroy you weaklings." DragonMage quickly drew out his sword. "I hope you've made amends with 'God', Dawn Sword, because you'll be seeing Him soon."

"Long time ago, DragonMage." Dawn Sword 'reassured'. DragonMage scoffed at that and slowly brought his sword to a battle position.

"It's you and me then, Dawn Sword. One on one, just like it was always meant to be. And when I kill you, I'll claim the full Armor of the Dragon as my prize."

"I suppose that means it's time you and I finished our fight as well, Suzuka." Cerpa stated, throwing off the black cloak. He truly was a cyborg now, far more machine than man. Almost his entire left side, including both legs, was circuitry and steel, although his face and shoulders were still flesh and blood. His weapon of choice had also changed, now a sword much like Suzuka's own except made of deep black metal. Suzuka tightened her grip on her weapon as she looked into the face of one so evil and yet so like herself. Cerpa continued. "I bet you're just dying to fight me again, aren't you Suzuka? Well, I won't keep you waiting. I've been waiting years to get you back for what you did to me."

"How can you say that, when you're the one who butchered my parents?" Suzuka challenged in disgust.

"All's fair in love and war, Suzuka, and in a way, this is both." Cerpa said with a devious smirk.

"Enough talk; let's finish this!" Suzuka challenged, racing into battle. Cerpa dodged her initial strike by inches, then he and Suzuka's swords met in a series of swift and vicious clashes. Dawn Sword and DragonMage were likewise dueling by this time, their swords moving so quick that all could be seen were metallic flashes caused by the artificial sunlight. It seemed all four fighters were making ready use of the Blade Storm technique, and as the battle grew more and more intense, so did it's speed.

"Aren't you the least bit curious" Cerpa asked as he and Suzuka's swords deadlocked for a moment. "Why we are both so alike, my dear Suzuka?"

Both broke from the deadlock in a blur of motion, and just as quickly returned to the zealous combat. When their blades locked again, Suzuka was still silent but Cerpa seemed almost like he wanted to show off.

"It's only right that you know before you die." He stated, the two struggling with all their strength against each other. "My powers once extended far beyond this form."

"A shape shifter, correct?" Suzuka said in an uninterested way. "I figured that out long ago."

"Yes, and ever since you left me for dead over a year ago I've been trapped in this form, unable to revert to any other appearances but those of your own which I formatted for myself so long ago." With a flurry of motion, the two once again broke the deadlock, now standing battle-ready several feet apart. Cerpa continued in a low, ominous voice. "All because of these blasted implants. But once you are dead, the galactic leyline can restore me to my former powers."

"I'll never let you get the chance."

"You don't have a say in it. While these implants are restrictive, they make me ten times as powerful as I used to be. I can kill you with ease; but I want to savor your last few moments of sentience, of that fighting spirit in you that I admire so much."

Suzuka quickly used a secret technique, sending a hundred scattered blasts of red energy at her enemy. Cerpa easily blocked, making use of a light shield that was installed in his left arm. Blades met again but it wasn't hard to see that the tide of battle was slowly turning against Suzuka, while Cerpa's face continually harbored that look of victorious bliss, like a snake coiled around it's victim and slowly squeezing the life out of it.

Meanwhile, the tide of battle was likewise turning against Dawn Sword. DragonMage was moving far quicker that expected, and Dawn Sword's armor was already sliced and scratched in several places. As their swords deadlocked, Dawn Sword quickly played his trump card, sending a current of powerful electricity surging through the sword, conducted through DragonMage's weapon, and then quickly delivering the voltage into DragonMage himself. The dark warrior reeled backwards in pain, but was still able to dodge a sideswipe from Dawn Sword in spite of his injury.

"Most … clever." DragonMage stated, breathing hard and obviously in pain. He then seemed to shake off the inflicted pain for a moment as he added "I would expect nothing less from my most worthy opponent."

"I'm not through with you yet, DragonMage."

"Neither am I finished with you." He said, aiming the Dragon's Claw. "I call upon the Dragon's Breath! Burn and consume my enemy!"

A massive blast of fire erupted from the gauntlet, forcing Dawn Sword to dodge to one side, then dodge again as DragonMage warninglessly brought his sword down at him like a giant battle axe.

"My turn, DragonMage." Dawn Sword stated, quickly getting back to his feet. The blade of his sword began to glow with intense white energy as electricity flared out from the glowing blade. Bringing his Archblade attack to full power, he dashed straight at DragonMage and contacted his foe's sword with a massive surge of electrical power that send DragonMage flying backwards on contact.

As the dust began to clear, it was obvious Dawn Sword was quickly running out of strength; he was breathing hard and beads of sweat were dropping off his forehead and hitting the dry ground. DragonMage, however, looked like he'd just gotten his second wind, the Dragon's Claw glowing slightly red as he somehow used it to revive his strength. Suzuka and Cerpa were still locked in a bitter struggle, but Suzuka appeared to have taken several blows and her clothing was shredded at the edges. DragonMage smirked.

"It seems we're equally matched to a degree. However, my victory is assured, because I can keep this up as long as I wish, whereas you, O' my worthy foe, are quickly losing your strength."

"As can I, Suzuka." Cerpa added coldly. "Machinery does not grow tired."

Jim woke up with a throbbing headache. Slowly opening his eyes, he quickly realized he was in the command room of the Veritas, which at present was rolled over on it's side. Slowly sitting up, he saw that he was alone and that a huge hole had been cut into one wall, leading out onto the open leyline.

"Hey, where'd everybody go?" He wondered out loud, then went over and examined the large hole. "This looks like Suzuka's handiwork. The others must be out tracking down DragonMage…"

After a little pushing aside of debris, Jim was able to locate an intact console that had survived the crash. As he fiddled with the controls, he was able to access the damage control systems.

"Hmm, well, at least the docking bays and engineering aren't too heavily damaged. That means the Outlaw Star an El Dorado must be intact." He then looked back towards the opening. "Great, looks like I got left behind again. While I've been unconscious, they're out saving the universe and all. Why do I always get left out of these adventures?" He then looked back at the damage indicator screen. "Well, since the Outlaw Star and El Dorado are intact,… I guess it's OK if I go out and find Jean and everybody. But first I'd better find out if they've got some of those Strikers stored onboard, just in case I run into trouble."

DragonMage unleashed his Hell Storm attack, sending bolts of black energy careening down like rain all across the battlefield. Dawn Sword and Suzuka dodged as much as they could, but both suffered several direct hits. All his strength exhausted, Dawn Sword was unprepared as DragonMage followed through on his assault with a lethal blast of dark energy, sending him flying onto his back. Before he even knew what was happening, DragonMage had his foot on Dawn Sword's chest and in a single movement knocked the sword out of his hand.

"It's over, fool." DragonMage taunted. "Did you really think that by all this you could keep me from achieving my destiny of becoming the most evolved being in the universe?! HA! Now I'll finish what I started, and this time there won't be anything left of you to resurrect! In that knowledge, despair and die!"

"NO!!" Suzuka exclaimed, seconds before a blow from Cerpa's sword broadsided her, leaving a huge line of blood on her face as she collapsed to the ground. DragonMage, thoroughly enjoying the look of imminent death in his defeated foe's eyes, removed his foot and then unleashed a stream of fire from the Dragon's Claw.

Dawn Sword's death scream was drowned out by the roar of the devouring flames.

Suzuka could only watch; battered, bruised, and powerless, as her only brother was cremated alive by DragonMage's hell-sent powers. Silent tears of tortured agony and despair ran down her cheeks as she realized that it was over. They'd lost, and DragonMage had exacted his revenge on one of the people Suzuka had held most dear.

Looking up with bloodshot, tear-stained eyes, Suzuka watched as Cerpa brought his sword down in a final blow, one that would finish Suzuka off.

Archon was the first to arrive at the scene of the battle, making his entrance only minutes after Suzuka had met her demise. The sight of his leader victorious quickly brought him great pleasure-

-Until a razor-thin beam of energy from Cerpa terminated Archon's life in the blink of an eye. DragonMage, obviously startled, was only barely able to evade a second streak of energy intended by Cerpa to kill him. The cyborg's expression was cold and emotionless as DragonMage glared at him from across the battlefield.

"What do you think you're doing?!! Vile traitor!" DragonMage's voice lacked no tone of outrage.

"I'm only doing what you would have done." Was Cerpa's simple reply. "After all, one must take caution that one's allies don't turn out to be greedier than thy."

"What are you talking about?! Do you realize how easily I can kill you, you scum?"

"Of course I do, that's why I intend to kill you first. Admit it, DragonMage; you would take the first opportunity to kill us all, friend and foe alike, just to make certain that none of us turns on you. Well, it looks like I beat you to the punch, as the expression goes. Once I kill you, I'll be the one who seizes the armor and becomes ultimate. The other warriors I'm not concerned with; I can kill them with such ease that it's laughable, but you and you alone now rival my power. So prepare yourself for the void, 'sir'."

"Fool! I'm more than a match for you!" DragonMage shouted in defiance, sword ready.

The battle was swift and deadly, each warrior pulling out all the stops. It was evident that Cerpa had been holding back somewhat in the battle against Suzuka, because suddenly his speed and power took on a whole new definition. As energy blasts flashed across the field of combat, the two warriors fought with survival intensity, blades meeting in swift and decisive clashes. Back flipping into the air, Cerpa's left arm suddenly split into a mass of swarming, whip-like metal tentacles, which he instantly lashed out at DragonMage with. DragonMage countered with a black energy shield, then with rage in his eyes sent out a giant blast of flame at Cerpa, hitting him dead-on. Before Cerpa could even get back to his feet, DragonMage's twin 'dragon fang' blades found their marks in Cerpa's left arm, pinning him to the ground. DragonMage soon stood over Cerpa, Dragon's Claw ready.

"Cerpa, I honestly thought you were more intelligent than this. You of all people should know that no one is more powerful than I am."

DragonMage, however, was unprepared as compartment in Cerpa's chest slid open, revealing a small plasma cannon. The unexpected blast struck DragonMage square in the chest, sending him flying backwards onto the ground.

"What was that line you used on Dawn Sword?" Cerpa inquired, quickly getting to his feet, knocking away DragonMage's sword, and planting his foot firmly into the warrior's chest. "Oh yes, I remember now. 'Despair and die'!"

With that, Cerpa swiftly drove his sword down into DragonMage's heart, causing a gasp from the fallen warrior as cold metal met warm blood.

"Hm, yes; I'd say 'despair and die' works rather well on you, DragonMage." Cerpa snickered as his opponent lay there, quickly losing consciousness.

With that, Cerpa turned and headed for the inner leyline. A few steps in, however, he realized that he'd need the Dragon's Claw, so he turned back around and went to go retrieve it from DragonMage's corpse.

Squatting down and holding his sword with his left hand momentarily, he attempted to pull the gauntlet off of DragonMage's hand. It wouldn't budge. He pulled harder but still the gauntlet didn't come off. Putting the sword on the ground next to him, he tried pulling with both hands.

It seemed stuck there.

Suddenly, he glanced briefly at DragonMage's face, and what he saw shocked him to the point of being paralyzed with fear.

DragonMage's eyes, fully open and conscious, were glowing with flame-like red energy. Cerpa did a double take and practically tripped over his own feet as he began to stand, but with movements far too incredibly quick for any human being DragonMage soon had a grip on Cerpa's head with the Dragon's Claw. Cerpa didn't even have time to realize what had happened before DragonMage unleashed a blast of flame from the gauntlet, instantly vaporizing Cerpa's head.

The fierce, other-worldly red-flame glow stayed in DragonMage's eyes as he leaned down over the decapitated Cerpa and gently, mockingly whispered

"Yes, I'd say 'despair and die' works rather well on you, Cerpa. Rest in hell, scum."

Pushing his cape aside dramatically, DragonMage quickly made his way into the Dragon's Tribute, leaving the bodies of his victims to rot.


	13. Memories Forgotten

Some people say that right before someone dies, their entire lives flash before their eyes…

Some people say that right before someone dies, their entire lives flash before their eyes…

But what does one see immediately after death?

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Memories Forgotten

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

This chapter id dedicated to Anime Angel, who has been a faithful devotee of Outcast Legends ever since I posted it. And it's also devoted to angels in general, for good reason.

Chapter 13: All it Takes is Faith

They'd gotten there too late, and they knew it.

Bluestone and Aisha had been the first to arrive, shortly after Cerpa had met his final demise. Firestorm and Vapor came shortly afterwards, followed by Jean, Harry, and Backtrack. All were shocked to see what had occurred.

Siren and Mirage likewise arrived, ready for battle but unprepared for what they were about to see. There was Cerpa, headless, and Archon cut into two and lying flameless on the ground.

"…This is DragonMage's handiwork, alright." Siren observed, looking down at the fallen cyborg. An uneasy truce had been called, and Mirage and Siren were examining the bodies of their fallen comrades. "Only the Dragon's Claw could have caused melting like this."

"And if I didn't know better, I'd say Archon got his from Cerpa." Mirage stated after a moment's examination. The two sisters looked at each other with a 'this is bad, very bad' look.

Meanwhile, Bluestone sat next to Dawn Sword's remains, in mourning. Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked at the dust and ashes that had once been Dawn Sword. In an attempt to console her, Aisha sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"… Listen, there's nothing you could've done. We knew when we got into this that it was dangerous-"

"No, that's not in,… not entirely." Bluestone said, barely able to get the words out. Then, in a whisper, she added "I never told him how I felt…"

Harry, on the other hand, was taking the news of his brother's demise quite differently. Rage and hatred filled his mind as he waited impatiently.

"We don't have time for this!" He stated. "While we stand here, DragonMage is headed for the inner leyline, and if we don't stop him we're all dead!"

Everyone, even Bluestone, slowly shook their heads. Taking hold of Dawn Sword's sword, which had somehow survived the inferno intact, Bluestone stood to her feet.

"We'll fight on,… for Collin." She stated, holding the weapon loosely with the blade pointed at the ground.

"Correction;" Siren interjected. "You're fighting for Dawn Sword's sake. We're just in this for survival."

"At any rate, the only chance any of us stand is if we can stop DragonMage before he can tap into the leyline." Jean stated, reloading his Caster. "I say we go for it; it's now or never."

Everyone nodded, then simultaneously the group made their way into the Dragon's Tribute, vanishing with a flash of teleportation. 

While the others continued the fight for survival, Suzuka's mind wandered bodilessly somewhere between life and death, neither in heaven nor hell.

In a realm of remembering…

She was suddenly a little girl again, looking out the window of the briefing room of the North Star base. Her mother and father stood behind her, her mother holding her younger brother who was now only one and a half, as the young girl peered out at the stars and ships and grappler pods as they flew around in outer space. Her father was a strong-spirited man, wearing a black jumpsuit with white body armor. His hair and eyes were a deep chestnut brown, and his arms were big and strong just as any little girl's daddy should be. Her mother, wearing beautiful armor with only a slight green tint added to it's mirror-like surface, giggled contentedly as every passing ship caught young Suzuka's eye with renewed fascination and delight. Her long black hair hung loose behind her like a sweeping cape, and her dazzling diamond-blue eyes gave full light to the motherly enthusiasm deep within her personality. Baby Collin, sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms, was content to ignore the wonders of outer space as he wandered about in dreamland.

****

"Daddy daddy!" Suzuka said, turning around and reaching her hands upwards so her daddy would pick her up. Once in daddy's arms, she asked "Daddy, do all those ships really have a lot of people on them?"

"Most of them do." Her father responded gently.

"Daddy, will I ever get to ride on a spaceship?"

There was a hesitant pause in which both parents exchanged a meaningful glance. Little Suzuka, however, didn't seem to notice, and just kept looking up at daddy, awaiting a reply with a smile on her face. Daddy slowly put Suzuka down, then squatted down to her eye level and spoke softly and purposefully.

"Yes Suzuka,… maybe all too soon." He paused. "You see, your mother and I want to go get a house on earth, away from the station. We're going to be living there soon, just you, me, and mommy."

"What about baby Collin?"

Another long pause. This time little Suzuka had a distinctly concerned expression on her face as her gaze shifted between daddy and her sleeping baby brother.

"Suzuka,…" Her mother began. "… Baby Collin won't be coming with us. We've been praying about it, and we just feel that God wants him to stay here, with the Outcast Legends."

A confused, almost sad look began to come over little Suzuka.

"But,…but,…, will we get to visit him?"

"We don't think so, Suzuka." Daddy replied gently, and tears started to well up in Suzuka's little eyes.

"But,… but why? Why is God being mean, daddy? Why can't we take baby Collin with us, daddy??" She pleaded, a tear trickling down her cheeks. Daddy quickly pulled little Suzuka into a hug and let her cry on his shoulder.

"Listen, princess; we don't understand it fully either, but God knows best. We've just got to trust him on this, that's all."

"Why are we going away, daddy? I don't wanna leave baby Collin." She begged with tears in her eyes.

Her parents exchanged another meaningful glance.

"Listen, honey," Little Suzuka's mother stated. "You know about the bad people we've been fighting, right?"

Suzuka nodded slowly.

"The reason we're going to earth is because we don't want you to ever have to fight like we do." Daddy said. "But Collin needs to stay here."

"He, he's got powers, doesn't he daddy?" Suzuka said, crying all the more as she realized the situation.

"… Yes, Suzuka. He was born with them, and one day he'll learn how to use them like your mother and I. We think that might be why God wants us to let him stay here."

Her parents had talked with her for a long time after that about the move to earth, but Suzuka wanted nothing more than to stay on the station with her little brother and parents and playmates. To prove her point, she made it a habit of having frequent temper tantrums, but her parents were steadfast, if not reluctant, in their decision. After one tantrum in particular, Suzuka's mother sat her down in time-out and gave Suzuka a chance to cry on her shoulder and talk to her.

****

"Mommy," She pleaded for what might be the last time. "I don't wanna leave. Please mommy, I don't wanna go!"

"I understand, Suzuka, really I do. But we need to, and unfortunately we need to leave baby Collin here when we go. I'm sorry honey, really." She paused. "Listen, Suzuka. If you ever feel sad, I want you to just remember this song, OK?"

_When the stars don't shine_

And you're scared and afraid

Just pray a small prayer

And God will be there

When things don't make sense

And you don't know what to do

Just believe, and see

The truth will set you free

The family had indeed left baby Collin there in the end, and Suzuka missed him dearly. Her parents soon had two new additions to the family, Suzuka's little twin brothers, and things were indeed peaceful for a long time, even though Suzuka was still lonely without Collin. Then, one day, out of nowhere, a strange person broke into the house and mercilessly killed her unprepared parents and brothers. At that moment, Suzuka's young life had changed forever. Somehow spared by the murderer, Suzuka became an orphan and, when someone finally adopted her for a time, she ran away from home after only a few short years, learned to use the powers she'd been born with that her true parents had overlooked, and became quickly known as Twilight Suzuka, the most feared assassin to ever exist. Somewhere between when her parents died and when she was adopted, she lost all memory of almost anything previous the murder of her parents. Then, one day,…

****

"Hey, you. You're Twilight Suzuka, right?" He said, voice shaky and hoarse with age. She looked at him with a gaze of inquiry, then walked over and addressed him.

"Perhaps. Why do you ask?"

"Ah, I thought I recognized you!" The old man exclaimed. "I've heard through the grapevine about your search for Dawn Sword. Maybe I can help you."

"How did you hear about that?" She inquired, surprised that her search had become known, and also surprised by this old geyser's offer. "And what exactly do you mean that you can help me?"

"Young lady, this might surprise you, but I'm one of the few people who actually know him." His voice hinted at long-distant memories. "As rumor has it, he caught you with some form of practical joke, am I right?"

"Yes; and he's the first and only person who has." She stated, almost seeming to defend herself despite the fact that she had nothing to prove to this aging pedestrian. "How exactly do you know him? Can you arrange with him for us to meet in combat?"

"... Well, I guess so. You might be surprised to know that he's actually staying temporarily here on Helios-2 right now. As for how I know him, I'd rather not say because he prefers to remain anonymous for the most part, as I'm sure you know." He paused for a minute. "Tell you what,... I'll go talk to him for you, OK? I think I remember where he's staying at, but it's probably under an alias."

"If you can talk to him for me, ask him to meet me..." She searched her mind for a nearby landmark that had caught her attention, but came up empty. So she improvised. "...at the highest place in the city, tomorrow at dusk."

"Dusk?" The old man seemed to laugh a little. "Young lady, you have your style and he has his, He prefers to battle only at dawn's first light, thus how he got his nickname. If you really want to meet him, it will have to be at dawn."

Suzuka was willing to be flexible.

"Alright. At dawn then."

"OK. Good luck." The old man said, walking away. For a moment under the light of a street lamp, Suzuka got a good look at whom she'd been speaking to: he wore a dark brown trench coat, wide-brimmed dark brown hat, and had a well-trimmed white beard and moustache. His eyes were hidden under the shadow of his hat.

"Hold on a minute." Suzuka suddenly stated, causing the man to turn around. "Just who are you? What's your name?"

"Like Dawn Sword, I prefer to be anonymous." The old man stated. "But if you want,... call me Kai."

"It's sunrise, Suzuka." Stated a strong, confident masculine voice from behind her.

She spun to identify the person who had spoken. Long waves of brown hair that reached to his shoulder were an interesting contrast to his sapphire-blue eyes. In one hand he held a long, sharp, double-edged sword, it's hand guard a strange metallic blue metal in the form of a large, muscular humanoid without a face, a pair of long elegant wings arched out from behind the figure's back and the strange humanoid figure holding it's arms out at perfect horizontal 90 degree angles and it's feet together. 'Similar to an angel,' Suzuka thought to herself. 'The sword handle, anyway.' Dawn sword himself seemed to, in some way, resemble the figure crafted onto his sword handle, wearing from the neck down smooth, well-crafted body armor of the same blue metal as the sword's hand guard, the armor almost seeming as if it contoured to the form of his muscular body. His strong jaw showed confidence and his eyes were disciplined not to give away his thoughts, Suzuka could tell.

"So, we meet at last, face to face." Suzuka said, drawing her sword into a battle position. "I couldn't help but admire your sword, for all the good it'll do you. No one has ever seen more than two of my secret techniques, and I never lose my fights."

"As I have heard." He stated, drawing his sword into a ready position. "But enough talk; let us begin."

That bizarre confrontation, which Suzuka assumed at the time to have ended the mysterious warrior's life, had taken far-reaching effects on her own life. Little had she known, looking back on her memories from this void of nothingness in which her mind, thoughts, and soul now floated aimlessly, that that single battle would bring her back to that long-forgotten defense base in the middle of a war invisible to the rest of the universe.

****

"Maybe. Like I said, there's some mysteries not even I have the answers to." He was silent for a second. "The universe is just so filled with mysteries. I think that's why the leyline exists."

"What do you mean?"

"Suzuka, did you ever think about the fact that every atom in the universe vibrates at a pitch and frequency unique to it's element?" He inquired, not taking his eyes off the stars. "It's like one giant symphony, only we can't hear it. Can you imagine it? If all of our universe was a song, what would it sound like? The void of space is like pauses in the music, giving it rhythm and flow." He paused for a minute. "From what the Remnant has learned about the leyline, I personally think it's possible that whoever created the leyline and sub-leylines was trying to understand that music, perhaps, in some way, figure out the meaning of life. The leyline's primary function seems to be the acquiring of knowledge; why else would someone create a massive supercomputer capable of both a degree of intelligent thought and of creating and altering matter in any way it wished?"

Suzuka had actually given that question a good deal of thought then. For just a fraction of a second, she imagined the universe singing, each planet and star and speck of matter a member of a cosmic chorus, raising their voices to create the most masterful song that would ever be.

Then the question had come into her mind, and it struck her as odd for a moment, but she shrugged it off and didn't give it much thought.

'If the universe is singing,… who is it singing to?'

****

"…Perhaps they hoped that eventually someone would come along and make the right wish, and then it would all make sense." Suzuka proposed.

And now, in this vast void of nothingness in which Suzuka's soul hovered, the question came to her again. And for a long moment, she listened.

It was the strangest, most indescribable feeling of cold and emptiness and despair, but she could somehow sense that wherever she now was, the song, the song that her brother had described to her not that many days ago, was not present in this place. Not only was there no sound, but it seemed as if time itself had become one-dimensional, and that only she existed in this strange place of emptiness. Everything was thought. There was nothing to see. There was nothing to hear. Even though she was surrounded by void, she knew somehow that it was also void of all color, even the black of outer space didn't exist. Smell, taste, and touch had ceased to exist.

She was alone in an empty universe. She had never felt such chilling, nightmarish, absolute and cold a feeling in her worst nightmares. She existed,… and yet she herself knew that she wasn't alive.

And then, maybe from nothing except sheer desperation, she 'projected' her thoughts out as loud as she could and asked…

"Are you there?!! Can you hear me?!! Answer me if you exist!!"

And almost instantly, invisible light tore open the unending darkness.

As Suzuka slowly opened her eyes, the blinding light was still there,… but she could discern a silhouetted figure descending through it. At first she couldn't take her eyes off the figure, then she suddenly… breathed! She was alive again! Yes, she could feel that the endless void was gone. The emotions she experienced at that instant due to these combined revelations were indescribable.

As the light faded, the figure slowly came into view. Suzuka gasped in surprise. His long chestnut brown hair seemed almost unaffected by gravity as he slowly floated to the ground, his eyes pupil-less and blazing with powerful white energy. His body was covered in armor and armor-like fabric from the neck down, the fabric a slightly deeper shade of blue than the armor he wore primarily on his chest, shoulders, and waist. His chin was only slightly squared, showing strength, and even at a distance it wasn't hard to discern that the heavenly warrior was muscular and strong. He touched down on the ground gently and noiselessly, much like as if he almost didn't exist.

But Suzuka knew that he did exist. It was the same figure as had battled her over four years ago on Dead Man's Sheer, the ever-mysterious warrior who had called himself Dawn Sword for Suzuka and Cameron to Collin. As he stood there, the energy slowly faded from his eyes, revealing the sparkling sapphire-blue spheres that were the eye color the energy had hid. Suzuka could feel herself tremble as his gaze met hers.

His first words stole away Suzuka's breath.

"Yes, Suzuka, He exists." He paused for a minute, then added. "Do not be afraid, you who are watched over by the Lord. I come in the name of my Father, to help you."

"… W… who… who are you…? …What are you?" Suzuka managed to find the strength to say, awestruck and trembling. The figure smiled.

"Have you forgotten so quickly? No, I know that you haven't, Suzuka. When we last met, I went by the alias of Dawn Sword, to help steer your future back to your brother. However, my true identity was withheld from you until now. I am the Archangel Cameron."

As Suzuka let those words sink in, she suddenly remembered her brother Collin. She quickly diverted her gaze to where he lay, and found him to be alive and unharmed, looking at the warrior angel with the same awestruck astonishment as her.

"It was not yet your time to die, either of you. So I was given the authority to restore you to life, and to go with you to fight Balerra's scheme. Here, Collin, you will need a new sword." Cameron stated.

The angel held his hands open facing each other at a few inches apart. As living electricity surged in to fill the gap, it began to quickly take on the shape and appearance of a sword. With a small flash of light, Cameron soon held in his hands a sword identical to the one Collin had had before. He motioned for Collin to stand up and take the sword.

"It's you, it's really you, isn't it?" Collin exclaimed as Cameron handed him the sword. "You were the one who saved me back on Tassadar 3, after DragonMage had run me through and left me to die."

"Yes, that was also my doing. God has orchestrated both of your destinies in preparation for this battle, begun so long ago." He paused. "There is no time to loose. This war waits for no one, not even an Archangel. We must defeat DragonMage and destroy the Armor of the Dragon before Balerra can use it again."

Both brother and sister quickly nodded. Suzuka picked up her sword off the ground, gave Collin a meaningful glance, then the three warriors rushed forward into the oncoming battle.


	14. Armor of the Dragon

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

And There Was War In Heaven…

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 14: Armor of the Dragon

DragonMage looked around him in utter triumph. He now stood at the very center of the leyline, directly below the glowing sphere that represented, to him, the ultimate power in the universe. Or at least a tool used to become such a power. 

He suddenly heard a sound behind him and turned to see Jean, Aisha, Harry, Bluestone, Backtrack, Vapor, Firestorm, Mirage, and Siren appearing on the scene ready to fight. He scoffed inwardly at such a move at defiance.

"Simple fools, you are all like insects to me. Just what are you trying to prove?" He laughed, the demon red glow still not having left his eyes.

"This!" Jean stated as he unleashed a blast from his Caster.

"Idiot!" DragonMage shouted as he caught the bullet with the Dragon's Claw and crumbled it to powder. "Your puny sidearm can't hurt me. Now I'll show you the control I have over Casters and traitors!"

Instantly, the gun flew out of Jean's hand as if by some evil telekinesis, and DragonMage crushed it just like he had the bullet. Harry, dashing forward like a living human blur, barraged DragonMage with kicks and punches, all of which the dark warlord managed to evade with ease. Suddenly, DragonMage gripped both Mirage and Siren with the same evil telekinetic powers, sending them flying into Harry. The three collided head-on and hit the ground hard.

Aisha leapt into action, transforming into her ultimate fighting form and going straight at DragonMage with fury in her eyes. A giant blast, like a transparent black soundwave, hit her dead-on before she could get into range, and she was almost instantly slammed into the ground with a giant crash, making a dent in the ground where she landed. She slowly tried to stand up, but then unconsciousness won out and she collapsed to the ground, fainted.

"Do you realize now the futility of resisting me? The Great Dragon's power flows through me now with incredible strength; no one can oppose me."

"Well then I guess we'll just have to try anyway," Bluestone said, bringing the sword to a ready position. "Because we're sure as heck not gonna just stand back while you trash our universe, Dragon scum!"

"I see you've retrieved Dawn Sword's weapon, little girl." DragonMage laughed. "Do you actually think you stand a better chance than he did?"

"You'll pay for what you've done." She stated aggressively.

"Oh will I?" He mocked, then drew out his sword into a battle position. "It's time to end this little game. It's time for all of you to die!"

Without warning, black bolts of electricity shot out from the blade of the sword, expertly targeting and hitting each of DragonMage's enemies dead on. As DragonMage's triumphant laughter filled the air, each of the warriors wreathed in pain before eventually death held each one of the nine warriors in it's relentless clutches, slowly dying an inevitable death as DragonMage watched in silent triumph.

Turning from the helplessly dying victims who had dared oppose him, DragonMage looked at last towards his true goal. With evil power glowing from his eyes, he reached out with the Dragon's Claw and grasped the glowing ball of energy firmly.

When the three warriors arrived, Suzuka and Dawn Sword were shocked anew by what they saw. There, lying on the ground, were the bodies of Jean, Aisha, Bluestone, Backtrack, Harry, Vapor, Firestorm, Mirage and Siren. They all seemed to be dead, but Bluestone seemed to be barely clinging to consciousness.

But far worse was what they saw standing strong and powerful right in front of them. The armor was dark dark blue with gold trim, featuring a helmet with a Y shaped black visor, and on the top of the helmet was a small gold-metal spike. DragonMage's left arm was now almost completely bare, except for the Dragon's Claw, but his other arm was covered with a long black sleeve and also bore a second Dragon's Claw, even bigger and fiercer than the one on his left. The layered chest plate was ornately designed, and his waist sported a belt which had a large buckler with a strange insignia; it was reminiscent of a gargoyle with broad pointed wings and a long tail but without a head, arms, or legs, all in flat gold design, placed on a black background inside a slightly rounded triangle pointing downwards, trimmed with gold. Below the waist was all heavy protective armor, and two long loops of red fabric were strapped to his shoulders and hung at knee level behind him.

But strangest of all were the wings. Dark red dragon wings, with pointed metallic talons on the tips of each wing.

"What in the world…?!" Suzuka exclaimed.

"The Armor of the Dragon!" Dawn Sword stated, just as surprised as Suzuka.

"Balerra!" Cameron quickly went on the defensive, sword materializing with an electric flash in his hands.

"Ah, if it isn't Cameron and the two humans." DragonMage laughed, but his voice had changed. It was now much deeper, almost like the sound of a burning fire, and had an otherworldly double-echo to it that made Suzuka's skin crawl. "Come here to die, have you?"

"After Cerpa killed DragonMage, Balerra was able to take possession of DragonMage's body through the Dragon's Claw." Cameron explained, never taking his eyes off of DragonMage. "He's been the one causing the leyline to loose it's strength, hiding here invisibly in hopes of destroying the leyline for both revenge and because of everything it stands for. He's been here all along, hiding in the spiritual realm, waiting for the right moment to strike. He's the one who caused the leyline's 'children' to start to remember their past, and he's the one who gave Hazanka the power and knowledge to enter the leyline."

"And now my hour has come. The leyline's last few particles of energy are slowly being absorbed back into this armor, where they belong. With the Armor of the Dragon restored, I shall become the most powerful warrior to ever walk the face of the universe, and I'll destroy all who dare oppose me! Starting with the three of you!" DragonMage stated, a sword materializing in his hands with a flash of flame. The blade was single edged, somewhat jagged, and seemed to suck light down into itself like a black hole. The handle was golden and shaped almost like a snake's mouth, and a large dark-red jewel was at the center of the handle. "Behold! This black blade has pierced a hundred million souls, and now it shall terminate your three lives, foolish ones."

"No, Balerra." Cameron challenged, sword ready. "Today you shall be defeated, just as you were before." He turned to Suzuka, then motioned her towards Bluestone. "See if she can be revived. Your brother and I will deal with this … seditionist."

Suzuka nodded, then rushed over and pulled Bluestone off to the side. Cameron and Dawn Sword, swords ready, charged headfirst into the battle while Suzuka tended to Bluestone.

"… Su…. Suzuka…? You're alive…?" Bluestone managed to say, blood trickling down her lips.

"Shh. You need to rest; save your strength." She paused. "Collin and I are OK, and we're going to stop DragonMage, I promise."

"… Suzuka,…" Bluestone said, trying to take a deep breath but only swallowing blood. She coughed it up on the ground, took a deep breath, then looked back up at Suzuka with what little strength she had left. "… Tell… Collin… that… I love him."

Suzuka nodded slowly. She watched, powerless to stop what was happening, as Bluestone slowly closed her eyes and stopped breathing.

Swords met in fast and vicious clashes as DragonMage somehow managed to fight off both Cameron and Dawn Sword at the same time. Suddenly taking to the sky, DragonMage let loose a huge blast of fire, which both warriors managed to dodge. Cameron, suddenly negating gravity's effect on him, took likewise to the sky and engaged DragonMage in aerial sword combat, electricity and fire flaring into existence left and right as the two fought for bitter survival. Suzuka rejoined Dawn Sword, and together the two let loose their most powerful special techniques, scoring clean hits on the demon-possessed DragonMage. Cameron followed up with a stab to the chest, driving his sword straight through the armor and sending currents of living electricity through the dark warrior's body. DragonMage hit the ground with a crippling thud as smoke began to rise off his body.

Cameron landed on the ground in front of Dawn Sword and Suzuka, still facing DragonMage.

"Don't let your guard down yet." He cautioned.

"You mean he's still alive?" Dawn Sword exclaimed.

He got his answer as DragonMage slowly staggered to his feet, evil power glowing in his eyes.

"You morons! You can't kill what's already dead!" He suddenly raised one hand towards the sky and shouted "Power of the serpent, rise! Strength of darkness, transform me! Grant me the form of the Destroyer!"

Black electricity flared randomly out of his body, causing such total blinding darkness that Suzuka couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. When it faded, Suzuka quickly realized she was falling. She hit the side of the mountain hard but quickly jabbed her sword into the rock surface and used it to stop her fall.

The mountaintop had crumbled under the weight of a massive being. The gigantic dragon's crimson skin was like armor plates, it's wings were so massive they filled Suzuka's entire field of vision. It's long sweeping tail had what looked like a giant spearhead attached to the end, and the dragon's arms were almost humanoid, the hands only having four fingers whereas the feet supported five. It's razor-sharp rows of teeth looked like rows of swords, and it's legs had two knee joints. It's legs, arms, and tail were all lined with rows of sharp spikes. It had a short thick neck and massive chest muscles.

The Destroyer, Suzuka presumed.

"So, you finally show us your real power, 'Great Dragon'." Suzuka muttered to herself, then stood to her feet and shouted in defiance. "There's an old saying that say 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall', Balerra! Your reign of terror ends here!!"

"I've heard that one before." The dragon laughed, it's voice sounding like a living thunderclap.

"Darkness cannot silence light, demon!" Cameron shouted in defiance, appearing suddenly in mid-air, glaring into the dragon's face.

"We will never surrender!" Dawn Sword added, having found his footing on the jagged mountain terrain. 

"Then you will do so in death!!" The dragon shouted, dredging up a massive fireball and spitting it straight at Cameron. The spirit warrior managed to dodge with a vertical evasion, then brought his sword to bear and shot through the air like a lightning bolt, headed straight for the massive reptile. Suddenly, Cameron's assault was cut short as he hit a previously-invisible black energy field, bouncing off the defensive shield with a painful grunt. The dragon laughed. "Meddlesome angel! Nothing can break through my shadow barrier; while in this form, I am completely unkillable. And once you are all dead, I'll absorb every energy source in the universe to enhance my power!"

Suddenly, the crushed mountaintop began to vanish. Dematerialize. Suzuka and Dawn Sword, realizing the situation, barely had time to react as the ground below their feet suddenly ceased to exist. The dragon, too, was unable to register what had happened before gravity took over, sending the massive beast to the ground with a thundering crash. Cameron, intervening as quickly as possible, was able to catch Suzuka and her brother before they hit the ground, saving them from the raging earthquake below that had been triggered by the dragon's fall. Suzuka suddenly spotted Jim far below, a Striker in one hand and a ready-to-be-loaded shell in the other. As the earthquake died down, Cameron quickly put Suzuka and Dawn Sword back on the ground, then flew off to face the quickly recovering dragon as Jim rushed up to Dawn Sword and Suzuka.

"Hey you guys! What'd I miss?" He inquired innocently. "And where'd the dragon come from?"

"That's DragonMage's doing,… sorta." Dawn Sword explained, then turned back to Jim. "Nice shooting, but you'd better clear out of here. Things could get nasty."

"No way. I've stayed back from every big adventure Jean has ever had, outside of piloting the Outlaw Star. I'm not going to-"

"That's noble, but right now we're dealing with a creature of … supernatural proportions. If you want to help, stay low and fire only when you've got a clean shot. And remember that that dragon has a protective shield around it. OK?" Suzuka asked.

"You got it!" Jim stated, loading his Striker and then turning in the direction of the nearest big protective rock.

"Kid's got guts." Dawn Sword stated, then turned to Suzuka. "We'd better go stop that giant iguana before it's too late. Ready?"

"I was born ready." Suzuka stated with a nod, then the two rushed back to the battle lines.

Meanwhile, Cameron was having a hard time keeping the battle up. His every attack just ricocheted off the demon beast's protective field, while meanwhile Balerra was fully recovered from the fall and doing his best to burn the Archangel alive.

'Kai, where are you?' Cameron thought to himself, barely dodging another stream of fire. 'Now would be a really good time for reinforcements.'

Leviathan and Nova cruisers clashed in fierce battle high above the galactic leyline, filling the empty void of outer space with weapons fire, auto mechs, and grappler pods. Fiery explosions and debris scattered across the starscape as ships on both sides went down in raging balls of inferno.

Suddenly, something strange began to happen that momentarily drew the attention of both sides of the combat.

The black storm field around the galactic leyline began to dissipate.

As secret techniques, electricity, and blasts of fire flared across the field of battle, Suzuka knew things were getting worse. Nothing was breaking through the dragon's shield, and due to the giant reptile's 'bad breath', things were really starting to heat up. Flames filled the sky as blast after blast from the dragon scarred the landscape, raining down destruction on it's foes. Suzuka narrowly dodged as the dragon brought it's bladed tail down at her from above, the seven-foot long weapon lodging itself into the ground on contact.

"You can't win!" The dragon roared in laughter. "The galactic leyline is about to become a galactic graveyard!"

A blast of fire struck Cameron dead-on, sending him into the ground like a comet as flames surrounded his body. As the flames died down and he painfully tried to get back to his feet, Dawn Sword was only just barely able to push the Archangel out of the way of another stream of fire.

"This isn't working!" Dawn Sword exclaimed, then turned to Cameron. "You're an Archangel; what do we do against something like this???"

The two dodged another blast of fire, but barely.

"I'm not powerful enough to break the barrier. Only the children of God and the most powerful Archangels have that kind of power." Cameron replied, obviously in pain.

"But we've hit it with everything we've got, and nothing's worked." Dawn Sword replied.

"Only the power of God can shatter an evil barrier that's empowered by Lucifer." Cameron stated. He then looked Dawn Sword square in the eye. "You and your sister are the only ones who might be able to do it, but you must have faith."

Dawn Sword slowly nodded.

"I'll try."

He and Cameron dodged apart to avoid another storm of flames, then Dawn Sword suddenly started a suicide dash straight at the massive dragon. Suzuka saw what he was doing and was about to shout over to him to stop, but didn't get a word out before another blast of flames was headed straight at her, forcing her to dodge. The dragon quickly turned it's attention towards Dawn Sword as he began to get closer, and sent a huge bolt of black electricity straight at him. He evaded the blast and kept running, sword suddenly glowing with power and streaking ribbons of light like echoes behind it.

"This ends now!!" He shouted in defiance, then jumped high up into the air, aiming to hit the shield with his sword.

A massive flash of light erupted as the glowing sword contacted the energy field, a flash so brilliantly blinding that it drowned out all other light except itself. Even up in space, with the fierce combat raging, the light still held it's massive brilliance and blinding power. As the light faded, Dawn Sword dropped to the ground as a sound like a million windows breaking all at once was heard.

But the dragon had been expecting such an eventuality. Even before the light fully faded, he had his sights set directly on Dawn Sword. Bringing it's fist down in a smash-punch, the dragon focused it's full fury into one single blow.

Suzuka, blinded by the flash, didn't see what had happened until the light faded away. There was the dragon, standing over the crushed body of her brother.

'… No, oh God no! Not again…!' She thought in silent terror as she watched the lifeless form lay there on the ground.

"What a fool. He has given away his life and gained so little! Now I'll make sure he never sees daylight again!" The dragon said, picking up the mangled body in one of it's giant hands. "After all, why waste a perfectly good snack?"

"NEVER!!!" Cameron shouted in rage, his eyes glowing like supernovas in their sockets. Gripping the sword handle tightly, he dashed through the air at the vile monster, then let loose a blast of electricity through the sword as he slashed the blade across the giant dragon's face. The monster screamed in rage, dropped Collin's limp body, and then backhanded Cameron like a gnat, sending him flying into the ground.

Suddenly, something deep inside of Suzuka just seemed to snap. It wasn't anger, or hatred, or rage that suddenly flowed like a raging river through her mind; neither was it fear, despair, or discouragement. In the back of her mind, she could hear her mother's voice, echoing in the sound of distant memories,…

_When the stars don't shine_

And you're scared and afraid

Just pray a small prayer

And God will be there

When things don't make sense

And you don't know what to do

Just believe, and see

The truth will set you free

What flowed through Suzuka at that moment, like as if someone had lit a fire deep inside of her, too deep to explain; what suddenly gripped her mind with a soul-felt purpose was an emotion of incredible power. Not strength, or superiority, or victory. Pure power, running through every vein in her body. Power like she'd never known before.

Suddenly, an invisible wind began to blow, a current of supernatural energy that flowed directly into Suzuka's soul.

And she knew…

She knew that she was born for this moment, born for this purpose.

And as her heart silently prayed for strength, she could feel a power so incredible that it had to be God Himself come down on her, igniting her soul with inspired purpose and determination.

Raising her sword high into the air, she shouted in utter defiance.

"… This far, **no further!** This stops right **now!**"

The dragon turned it's head at her, then it's eyes widened in disbelief as Suzuka's sword began to glow. Slowly at first, then ribbons of light began encircling the blade with incredible power, the light growing and growing until the dragon had to shield it's eyes from the sheer scorching brilliance of the light. Running straight at the dragon, Suzuka brought her sword to a ready position as power coursed through her body like the light of ten million stars. The beast, in hopes of victory, let loose a blast of black flames from it's right claw, but the attack split apart and veered into the ground behind her as Suzuka continued her assault.

Intense light shining from her eyes, Suzuka jumped high into the air, and brought the sword down into the middle of the dragon's back.

Instantly, the dragon imploded from within, beams of shattering light breaking violently out from within the giant creature as Suzuka held the attack, it's blood curdling death scream echoing out into the depths of outer space…

Kai and the other Archangels, after hours of battling Balerra's demon armies, finally descended on the galactic leyline to find that they were too late, in a good sense. DragonMage's lifeless body, now returned to normal human form, lay on the ground where the dragon had been, and the shattered fragments of the Armor of the Dragon lay on the ground scattered around him. Suzuka was unconscious, but alive. Cameron was slowly recovering from the merciless combat and would need to spend much time healing in the presence of God. Balerra, having been utterly and completely defeated by the power of God that had flowed through Suzuka, was nowhere to be found, cast back into the abyss realm to await the day of judgement and the lake of fire. Kai, letting Cameron rest after the long battle, used the power God had given him and restored Collin, Jean, Aisha, Melfina, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Outcast Legends back to life, just as God had instructed. Then Jim came out of hiding and was speechless at the sight of all the warrior angels, although he probably didn't realize that they were spiritual beings taking on human form.

Having accomplished their purpose, the angels silently left the leyline, returning each to his post. Except Cameron. He was to stay until everyone woke up.


	15. Journey's End

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained

There are secrets in the universe that may never be fully explained.

Where there are mysteries, there are always three kinds of people connected to them. One is the kind of people who want to seek the mysteries out to their fullest.

The other are the people who are out to destroy any secret they believe threatens their security or positions of power.

The third type are the defenders of mysteries.

This is the tale of several such defenders.

Outcast Legends: And Outlaw Star fanfic

Journey's End

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the original Outlaw Star TV anime. I'll make a list of those characters and concepts I do own at the end of the fic.

Chapter 15: Looking to the Future

_"Melfina…"_

The familiar voice that was so much like her own called out to her. Pulsing energy surrounded the small realm in which she now floated, and Melfina slowly opened her eyes to see the maiden standing in front of her.

_"Melfina, I'm going to transfer all the information the leyline has learned into your being. It's now my only chance to save it all."_

"… Will I have to fulfill the leyline's purpose?"

__

"No," The maiden smiled. _"No. Now I understand who and what Entity is. And that is the most important thing I have learned. Take my knowledge with you, Melfina,… and never forget what the song of the stars sounds like."_

"I won't forget, I promise. Goodbye…"

Bluestone awoke to feel someone shaking her shoulders gently. As she slowly opened her eyes, she found herself looking into the eyes of another.

"… Collin?" She exclaimed weakly. Then her eyes went wide and she quickly embraced him. "Oh my God, Collin! You're alive!!"

"We all are, Katrina." He said, causing her to look around. Jean, Jim, Suzuka, Aisha, Backtrack, Reaper, Firestorm, Vapor, Nightshade, Siren, Mirage, Ron, Harry, and Melfina all stood nearby, watching in an understanding kind of way. Except Mirage and Siren, who seemed rather disinterested in what was going on. Cameron also stood nearby, smiling gently on the whole situation.

"Welcome back." Suzuka said with a gentle smile.

Collin helped her back to her feet, then the two exchanged a meaningful glance.

"… Collin,… when I found you dead,… I realized that I-"

"Shh,… you don't have to say it." He smiled at her. "I feel the same way about you, but I was always afraid to say anything in fear that we might loose our friendship. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, and while we're on the note of romances…" Harry began, he and Jean both turning to look at Melfina.

"Listen, Mel. Harry and I did a little talking with the maiden of the leyline when we first got here, and we both have some apologies to make." Jean stated with a slight blush.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry Melfina. I guess I got so caught up in the way I feel for you that I didn't stop to consider your feelings. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I guess I got carried away too." Jean stated, rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed sort of way.

Melfina couldn't restrain the wide smile that came over her.

"Well, that's really nice, to hear you both getting along." She said gently. "And I'm flattered you both care so much."

"Yeah, but from now on, we're going to let you make your own decisions, Melfina." Jean stated. Harry continued his thought. "And whatever choice you make is alright with us."

"Well, I guess I'll have to think about it for a while." Melfina said with a gentle smile at each of the two outlaws.

"Cameron," Suzuka began, getting the Archangel's attention. "I owe you a great deal of thanks for bringing me back to my brother, for saving his life and for helping us win against DragonMage and Balerra. From the deepest part of my heart,… thank you."

Cameron just smiled.

"I'm not the one you should thank, but Him who sent me. At any rate, I'll be sure to tell Him that you're very grateful."

"Hey Nightshade," Backtrack asked suddenly. "Where were you all this time? You never joined up with us at the entrance to the Dragon's Tribute."

"Well, unlike Reaper, Carnage found himself beaten senseless when I was through with him." She stated, then shrugged in an embarrassed sort of way. "So I got lost afterwards, big deal."

Meanwhile, Jim was busy telling Jean all about the battle against the dragon and how he'd vaporized the mountain right out from under the monster's feet.

"-And then there was this huge earthquake, but I stood my ground and I wasn't afraid at all. So there!" Jim teased.

"And you wonder why I don't want you risking your neck." Jean sighed. Then he turned to Dawn Sword. "Out of curiosity, what are you gonna do with 'the evil Olson twins' over there?" He asked, nodding towards Mirage and Siren. Dawn Sword thought about it for a minute, then replied.

"Well, since they did help against DragonMage, I suppose it would only be fair to give them a reduced sentence."

"Fine by me." Siren stated. "After a day like today, I don't want to see or hear **anything** that has **anything** to do with a dragon or dragons, ever again."

"I second the motion." Mirage added.

The group had been left the leyline on the Outlaw Star and El Dorado, joining up with the battered but victorious Remnant fleet on their way back to North Star. Cameron, however, had just sort of vanished when everyone's back was turned, maybe never to be seen from or heard of again; only time would tell. Mirage and Siren were transferred to the brig once the group returned to North Star, where the only battle they fought for awhile was with the food, which Dawn Sword had modified for them after they started complaining. Everyone else spent some quality time recovering from the many injuries and stresses associated with saving the universe; even the McDougal brothers decided to just take it easy for a day or two.

Then the fateful day came.

Dawn Sword had gathered everyone back together into the briefing room for one last time. Strangely, though, both Dawn Sword and Suzuka were absent at the start of the meeting. So, it sort of fell to Jean to start things up.

"So," He inquired, looking across the table at Bluestone. "What will you guys do now? I mean, the Dragons have pretty much lost the war now, and the leyline's dead. Where do you go from here?"

"… To be honest, we're not entirely sure." She stated, sighing and looking out the windows. "But after the battle of the leyline, I'd we're ready for just about anything. Who knows? There's a lot of unexplored space out there, and we're still trying to see if we can decode the leyline's databanks and figure out it's technology. If the Dragons submit a formal surrender any time soon, those'll probably be our first two options." She looked back at Jean. "After all, the Remnant is united by purpose. I'm sure we'll find some way to make ourselves useful in this universe."

"And what about you, like I have to ask." Jean inquired, looking up the table at Ron McDougal.

"What we do best, unless we find a better offer." He stated smugly. "But let's both agree to try and avoid each other more in the future, OK Starwind?"

"Sounds good to me."

Suddenly, the door to the briefing room slid open, and both Dawn Sword and Suzuka entered the room. All eyes instantly focused on Suzuka. In place of her usual attire, she now wore shining, mirror-like green body armor from the neck down, although she still carried at her side her wood sword. She took her seat right next to Dawn Sword, and everyone immediately looked at Suzuka expecting some kind of explanation. She slowly took a deep breath, then began.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, about my life, about my past and my future, and I've come to a decision. I'm staying here, with my brother and the rest of the Outcast Legends and Remnant forces." She looked over at Collin. "After so many years, I finally know that I have a family, be it what it may. So I've decided to stay, and learn to fulfill my destiny in whatever way it may come."

"… Um, if I may ask," Bluestone said, looking at Dawn Sword. "Isn't that your mother's armor?"

He nodded.

"It just seems like the right thing to do. It wasn't doing us any good waiting around in storage." He replied.

"So I guess this is goodbye, huh Suzuka?" Jean inquired.

"Don't count on it." She laughed teasingly. "After all, you'll have to come back her every once in a while for repairs and weapons. Don't worry Jean, you haven't seen the last of Twilight Suzuka."

"Hey Jean, Ron." Dawn Sword said, pulling out a pair of data discs. "We wanted to say thanks and all for everything you've done, to both of you. So we decided to give you these." He handed one disc to each pilot.

"Um, thanks, but what's on em'?" Ron inquired.

"The location of a few dragonite deposits that no one's begun mining yet." Bluestone stated. "We came across those two sites thanks to some of our early probe launches. It was a really fortunate find, but we never had the opportunity to cash in on it."

"There should be enough dragonite deposits mapped out on that disc to let you break even with everyone you've used the 'when I hit it big' line on, Jean." Suzuka stated. "And probably a little bit left over. You'll have a clean slate, to do with what you want. Just don't get into trouble."

"C'mon, Suzuka." Jean laughed. "Me, not get into trouble?" He paused for a long moment. "… This has been some heck of a crazy adventure, huh? First it's 'space ghosts' and the 'all-mysterious Dawn Sword', then we get caught in the middle of an invisible intergalactic war that's been going on for ages, then it's up to us to save the galactic leyline. How crazy is that?"

"And don't forget about Cameron." Melfina interjected.

"Yeah, no kidding." Jean sighed. "This whole God thing is gonna take some getting used to…"

"No kiddin'." Aisha stated. "This whole thing's been one roller coaster after another. I'm kinda glad it's over, and that the empire isn't gonna find out about this."

"You mean you're not gonna tell them, Aisha?" Jim inquired.

"What, are you kidding? They'll put me in a mental hospital!" Aisha exclaimed.

"Hey Jim." Dawn Sword said, tossing Jim a small golden object. Jim's eyes lit up as he examined it. It was a small golden angel badge, just like the design on Dawn Sword, Cameron, and now Bluestone's swords. On the back it had, engraved in small letters, 'For exemplary courage and selflessness in the face of danger, awarded to Jim Hawkings by Collin Jeran and the Outcast Legends'. Dawn Sword smiled as Jim looked at it, speechless. "Wear it proudly, Jim. You've earned it. Consider yourself an Outcast Legend in the making."

"Hey, lemme see that." Jean said, leaning over and looking at the badge.

Collin Jeran, Katrina Bluestone, and 'agent Twilight' Suzuka Jeran of the Outcast Legends all stood, looking out the window of the briefing room and watched in silence as two small streaks of color, one metallic gold and the other a flamboyant red, headed off in different directions, slowly vanishing amongst the ever-distant stars. The look in Suzuka's eyes was one of slight sadness, but also one of renewed hope and joy. Joy specifically because, unlike happiness which comes for a short time and then fades away, joy is something much deeper and long-lasting, something that becomes part of who you are, just like hope and courage and wisdom.

She was back where she belonged, once again part of the past that she thought she'd lost a long time ago. She had a place to belong, and answers to her lifelong questions. And she knew, even if she couldn't see him at the moment, that she had an angelic protector watching out for her.

As the Outlaw Star and El Dorado faded into the distance, Collin and Katrina exchanged a meaningful glance, one that conveyed mutual love and affections that had long been held dormant. Right now they didn't need a kiss to convey how they felt for each other, or gifts or love letters or momentos. All they needed was each other and the stars.

All three silently listened, hoping to catch perhaps a glimpse of the song sung by the stars. The song of destiny come true.

________________________________________________________________

DA' LIST

The characters that I own:

Dawn Sword AKA Collin Jeran

NightShade

Reaper

Backtrack

Vapor

Firestorm

Katrina Bluestone

DragonMage

Archon

Carnage

Trick

Mirage

Siren

The stuff I don't own:

Jean, Jim, Melfina, Suzuka, Harry McDougal, Ron McDougal, Gilliam, Aisha, the Outlaw Star, the El Dorado, Hazanka, the galactic leyline, Hitiriga (Cerpa), the Kai Pirates are all owned by the Outlaw Star TV anime, which I think should have been expanded by several more seasons and tons more episodes. Any OLS fan will agree with me.

The Archangel Cameron, the demon overlord Balerra, the Armor of the Dragon, and the Archangel Kai are property of Eternal Studios. Go to [www.eternalstudios.com][1] to see a REALLY good pic of Cameron!

And thus, devoted readers, ends the saga of the Outcast Legends. Consider, for a moment, how it all started, and how it all ends. Then consider the transition between the two and you'll find the same astonishing transformation that I have. Writing OCL has been a real experience for me, mostly because the story, to some degree, wrote itself. Starting out, all I had was a vague idea and no ending, but as I progressed the story began to come alive to me, almost as if the hand of God was at work. I'll be honest, many of the events and sub-plots to Outcast Legends surprised even me, and by the way the story has turned out, I know that God had a hand in it.

And now, the moral. Actually, the moral is pretty much self explanatory; it's the inspiration that I want to convey. If you're reading this and you feel like nothing in your life makes sense, that things aren't the way you want them to be, that you feel like people are abandoning you and letting you down, I just want to encourage you in that God hears every prayer you pray, regardless of past, present, future, and circumstances. In fact, we can each consider ourselves Outcast Legends to some degree, if we look at it through His eyes. You have within you God-given talents and abilities that separate you from vast majorities of the world, unique qualities that set you apart, making you both human and unique. That's the 'Legends' part. Each one of us has the ability to distinguish ourselves for something good. We should strive for our destiny with our full heart. But because of your uniqueness, that means that there will be people and things that will come against you to rob you of your destiny, making you feel like an 'Outcast'. Maybe for some it isn't people that are coming against you, but maybe past events or circumstances you just can't seem to get rid of. Don't give up hope. Always remember…

_When the stars don't shine_

And you're scared and afraid

Just pray a small prayer

And God will be there

When things don't make sense

And you don't know what to do

Just believe, and see

The truth will set you free

God bless you as you seek for your destiny,

The Mysterious Voice Guy

PS: As always, any fanart anyone would like to do for OCL would be **much** appreciated. E-mail me at MysteriousVoiceGuy@juno.com

   [1]: http://www.eternalstudios.com/



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